Polymer grafted graphene via atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP): A rheology improver in oil-based drilling fluids

Oil-based mud(OBM) drilling fluids are widely used due to their distinct rheological properties compared to water-based mud(WBM). Using graphene oxide (GO) in WBM as a rheology enhancer has recently become a popular topic. However, because of the hydrophilic functional groups on GO materials, a rare study has been focused on using GO nanomaterials in the oil-based mud drilling fluid. In this study, we synthesized a hydrophobic polymer grafted GO using atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The simulating OBM test demonstrated the grafted GO improved the yield point and low shear viscosity.