Jitendra Sangwai

The emerging desire for a sustainable approach toward energy production led the oil and gas industries to shift their interest from chemicals to microbial biosurfactants. As per the IEA report, global oil demands will rise by 7%, contributing 28% of total energy utilized. Developments in the field of microbiology have provided us with the solution of using microbes for the synthesis of biosurfactants. Microbial biosurfactants are classified as low–molecular weight (LMW) and high–molecular weight (HMW) biosurfactants. LMW biosurfactants are utilized to lower the interfacial tension, alter the rock wettability, and enhance oil recovery. These are found to improve oil recovery by up to 80%. HMW biosurfactants are generally used for the emulsification of fuels. This chapter focuses on providing an overview of different biosurfactants, emphasizing their role in enhancing the recovery of crude oil. In addition, additional applications of biosurfactants are discussed to reflect the significance of biosurfactants in the oil and gas industry.

Aerospace, manufacturing, medicine, catalysis, information technology, and energy require cost competitiveness, effectiveness, and system efficacy. Nanotechnology offers a cutting-edge solution for increasing process effectiveness, properties enrichment, and cost competitiveness. The application of functional nanomaterials with tunable catalytic and sensing properties shows promise in biofuel, drug delivery, biosensing, food technology, anti-corrosion and antimicrobic coatings, environment, and CO2 capture technology. Sustainable futures in low- and high-end applications require cost-competitive nanomaterials with tunable functionality. With the use of amelioration techniques, it is possible to tune the electronic, catalytic, and optical properties of nanomaterials based on their shape, size, composition, and morphologies. A great deal of attention has been paid to the use of organic, inorganic, and biomolecules for surface modification in biomedical and wastewater treatment applications, as well as catalysis. The potential of nanoparticles for emerging technologies has been explored with new strategies for their environment-friendly synthesis. Several eco-friendly approaches to nanoparticle preparation are presented in the chapter as a means to enable sustainable solutions on a large scale. A comprehensive overview of functional nanomaterials is presented, including their classification, features, vibrant applications, and future possibilities. This chapter focuses on size, shape, morphology, environmental toxicity, and controllable attributes.

Polymers have become an integral part of our daily lives with a wide range of applications. Oftentimes, the nature of application demands modifications of properties of polymer composites. Literature survey reveals that asphaltenes (high molecular weight and polar fractions of the crude oil) have been introduced in recent years as a filler to modify the properties of asphaltene-polymer composites. Asphaltenes are often considered as a waste product of petroleum industry but can have implications in strengthening of the polymer composites owing to improved filler-matrix interaction and formation of filler network via reorganization of the particles. In addition, certain polymer blends can improve the flow performance of the crude oil containing asphaltene and/or wax by modifying the rheological properties. This chapter discusses in detail the development in the field of asphaltene-polymer composites and flowability improvement of heavy crude oil using different polymer blends.

Modern functional nanomaterials have tremendous scope in developing newer strategies for petroleum exploration, energy extraction, and oceanic sequestration. The functionalization of nanomaterials improves their tunability, effectiveness, and environmental susceptibility. Nanoparticle functionalization is done via simultaneous synthesis and functionalization strategies or post-synthesis functionalization. Nanoparticle inclusion in petroleum exploration reduces viscosity and interfacial tension, and enhances oil recovery from oil fields. Moreover, functional nanoparticles improve methane extraction from natural gas hydrate via the dissociation of hydrate cages. The current chapter discusses functional nanoparticle potential in petroleum exploration and process development, aiming to exploit the technology’s full potential in developing cost-effective strategies. Additionally, the chapter discusses nanoparticles’ role in enhanced oil recovery, wettability alteration, and interfacial tension reduction. This chapter also sheds light on methane extraction and oceanic CO2 sequestration through hydrates using nanomaterials.

Coatings play an indispensable role in devising several engineering strategies to enhance the efficacy and effectiveness of modern utilities. Modern thin-film coatings exhibit antifogging, antireflection, ablation resistance and self-cleaning properties in various sophisticated applications. Various organic and inorganic coatings have emerged as the frontier in materials science, promising an unparalleled opportunity for enhancement of multifunctional attributes, hydrophobicity and colloidal properties. Modern characterization tools were used to assess multifarious properties of thin-film coatings over substrates and nanoparticles. Microstructural and chemical characterization tools give insights into composition, shape, size, morphology and coating characteristics. Different characterization techniques employed for assessing physical and chemical characteristics of the coatings have been discussed in this article. An in-depth analysis of nanoparticles and thin-film coating was presented, aiming to exploit the full potential of technology in state-of-the-art applications. An overview of recent developments in coated film-system/nanomaterials is provided in this contribution, along with their influences on drug delivery, sensing, aerospace, catalysis and biofuels.