# Carboxymethyl Scleroglucan Synthesized via O-Alkylation Reaction with Different Degrees of Substitution: Rheology and Thermal Stability

## TL;DR

This paper describes a method to modify Scleroglucan with carboxymethyl groups, improving its thermal stability and rheological properties for use in enhanced oil recovery.

## Contribution

A novel O-alkylation method to synthesize carboxymethyl Scleroglucans with controlled substitution degrees is introduced.

## Key findings

- Carboxymethylation lowers dehydroxylation temperature but increases thermal stability above 300 °C.
- Modified Scleroglucans show pseudoplastic behavior with reduced shear viscosity due to triple helix breakage.
- FTIR and SEM confirmed structural and chemical changes in the modified biopolymer.

## Abstract

This paper presents the methodology for synthesizing and characterizing two carboxymethyl EOR-grade Scleroglucans (CMS-A and CMS-B). An O-Alkylation reaction was used to insert a hydrophilic group (monochloroacetic acid—MCAA) into the biopolymer’s anhydroglucose subunits (AGUs). The effect of the degree of the carboxymethyl substitution on the rheology and thermal stability of the Scleroglucan (SG) was also evaluated. Simultaneous thermal analysis (STA/TGA-DSC), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy, and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM/EDS) were employed to characterize both CMS products. FTIR analysis revealed characteristic peaks corresponding to the carboxymethyl functional groups, confirming the modification. Also, SEM analysis provided insights into the structural changes in the polysaccharide after the O-Alkylation reaction. TGA results showed that the carboxymethylation of SG lowered its dehydroxylation temperature but increased its thermal stability above 300 °C. The CMS products and SG exhibited a pseudoplastic behavior; however, lower shear viscosities and relaxation times were observed for the CMS products due to the breakage of the SG triple helix for the chemical modification. Despite the viscosity results, the modified Scleroglucans are promising candidates for developing new engineering materials for EOR processes.