Application of Silver Nanofluids on Kinetics of Sulfur Hexafluoride Gas Hydrate Formation

Gas hydrates are nonstoichiometric nano-structured crystalline compounds which are stabilized by gas molecules incorporated in the cages made of hydrogen bonding of water molecules at suitable thermodynamic conditions. The gas hydrate as a technology has been successful for several potential applications in various engineering fields, such as, gas separation, carbon dioxide sequestration, gas storage and transportation, desalination of salt water and wastewater treatment. Recently, metal-based nanofluids are considered as interesting kinetic promoter candidates for accelerating formation of gas hydrates. Although organic-based kinetic promoters are widely studied for the rapid formation of gas hydrates, research of a new material system is still a challenge. In this study, Silver (Ag) nanofluids as kinetic promoter of sulfur hexafluoride (SF⁶) hydrate were prepared by electrical explosion of pure metal wire in deionized water. The kinetics of SF₆ gas hydrates were evaluated with different concentration of Ag nanofluids at condition of 276 K and 0.7 MPa, respectively. The Ag nanofluids, as kinetic nano-prompter, showed excellent effect on the formation of SF₆ hydrates.