# US 7,743,835 B2 · Compositions containing shape-conforming materials and nanoparticles that absorb energy to heat the compositions > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,743,835 B2 - Document ID: US7743835B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/129,359 - Filed: 2008-05-29 - Published: 2008-12-04 - Granted: 2010-06-29 - Earliest claimed: 2007-05-31 - Assignees: Baker Hughes Incorporated - Inventors: Darrin L. Willauer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7743835B2 ## CPC - C08K 3/08: Metals - C08K 3/041: {Carbon nanotubes} - C08K 7/24: inorganic - E21B 43/08: Screens or liners {(expandable screens or liners E21B43/108)} - E21B 43/10: Setting of casings, screens, liners {or the like} in wells - Y10S 977/773: Nanoparticle, i.e. structure having three dimensions of 100 nm or less - C08K: Use of inorganic or non-macromolecular organic substances as compounding ingredients (paints, inks, varnishes, dyes, polishes, adhesives C09) - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS ## Abstract A composition, apparatus and method for use in a wellbore is described. In one aspect, a composition may include a shape-conforming material and nanoparticles sufficient to absorb a selected form of energy to heat the shape-conforming material to near or above a glass transition temperature. A method of deploying an apparatus using such a composition may include placing the apparatus at a suitable location in a wellbore and exposing the composition to the selected energy to deploy the apparatus in the wellbore. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus, comprising: a composition that contains: a shape-conforming material having a shape memory property; and nanoparticles in an amount sufficient to heat the shape-conforming material to near or above a glass transition temperature of the shape-conforming material when the nanoparticles are exposed to a selected form of energy, wherein the composition obtains a selected shape when compressed at near or above the glass transition temperature of the shape-conforming material. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a member coupled to the composition to form a device that is one of: (i) a sealing device; (ii) an isolator; (iii) a solid particle flow control device; and (iv) a fluid flow control device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the nanoparticles are made from materials chosen from a group consisting of one or more of: a metal, including gold, silver; platinum, titanium, aluminum, copper, zinc, iron, zirconium, tin, and nickel; a metal oxide, including iron oxide; carbon nanotubes; bucky balls and grapheme. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the selected form of energy is selected from a group consisting of: (i) electric current; (ii) electromagnetic radiation, including infrared radiation, ultraviolet radiation, gamma ray radiation, and microwave radiation, and (iii) heat. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the nanoparticles present in the composition are about 0.1% to about 10% by weight. ### Claim 6 A composition comprising: a shape-conforming material having a shape memory property; and nanoparticles in an amount sufficient to heat the shape-conforming material to near or above a glass transition temperature of the shape-conforming material when the nanoparticles are exposed to a selected form of energy, wherein the composition obtains a selected shape when compressed at near or above the glass transition temperature of the share-conforming material. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The composition of claim 6 wherein the selected form of energy is one of: (i) electric current; (ii) an electromagnetic radiation, including infrared radiation, ultraviolet radiation, gamma ray radiation, and microwaves, and (iii) heat. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The composition of claim 6 wherein the nanoparticles in the composition are between about 0.1% to about 10% by weight. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The composition of claim 6 wherein the nanoparticles are made from materials chosen from a group consisting of one or more of: metals, including gold, silver; platinum, titanium, aluminum, copper, zinc, iron, zirconium, tin, and nickel; a metal oxide, including iron oxide; carbon nanotubes; bucky balls, and graphene. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The composition of claim 6 wherein the shape-conforming material is a polymer that is selected from a group consisting of a: (i) foam polymer; (ii) thermoplastic polymer; (iii) thermoset polymer; (iv) polyarylene; and (v) polyethynylene. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The composition of claim 10 wherein the shape-conforming material or nanoparticles are functionalized to provide a molecular level association between the shape memory-material and the nanoparticles. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The composition of claim 11 wherein the composition is compressible from a first shape to a second shape near or above a glass transition temperature of the shape-conforming material and is able to retain the second shape after the temperature of the composition falls below the glass transition temperature of the shape-conforming material. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The composition of claim 12 wherein the composition returns to the first shape when the composition is exposed to the selected form of energy. ### Claim 14 (depends on 6) The composition of claim 6 further comprising a deployment modifier. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The composition of claim 14 wherein the deployment modifier is selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl acetate (PVA), polyvinyl alcohol, (PVAI or PVOH), polyvinyl acetate emulsions, carboxymethylcellulose, methylcellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, copolymers of acrylamide and a cationic derivative of acrylic acid, polylactic acid (PLA), cellulose actetate (CA), blow starch (BA), acrylamide polymers, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 16 A method of deploying an apparatus in a wellbore, comprising: providing a device that includes a composition that contains a shape-conforming material having a shape memory property and nanoparticles in an amount sufficient to heat the shape-conforming material to near or above a glass transition temperature of the shape-conforming material when the nanoparticles are exposed to a selected form of energy, wherein the composition has a first shape that has been obtained by compressing the composition from a second shape near or above the glass transition temperature of the shape-conforming material; placing the device at a downhole location; and exposing the nanoparticles downhole to the selected form of energy to cause the composition to attain the second shape. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 wherein the device is at least one of: (i) a seal; (ii) a packer; (iii) a sand control device; (iv) a fluid flow control device; (v) an anchor; and (vi) a tubing having an outer layer comprising the composition. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 wherein exposing the composition comprises using at least one of: (i) electromagnetic radiation, including infrared radiation, ultraviolet radiation, gamma ray radiation, and microwave radiation, and (ii) heat. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 further comprising completing the wellbore after deploying the apparatus in the wellbore.