Heavy oil-solid separation polymer applications- opportunities and challenges

Abstract Addressing the current issues of polymer technology in terms of stability in high-temperature, high-salt environments, reservoir adaptability, material cost, and environmental safety, the development directions of intelligent responsive polymers, biobased materials, and multifunctional composite systems are further analyzed. This paper aims to establish a connection between molecular structure design, interfacial interaction mechanisms, and engineering applications, providing a theoretical basis for the efficient development, green separation, and novel polymer material design of heavy oil resources.