The effect of methacrylate ternary polymer on the low-temperature flowability of coal-based diesel

Abstract In this study, tetradecyl methacrylate-maleic anhydride-benzylidene acetone (C14MC-MA-MCA) terpolymers were synthesized via free radical polymerization and evaluated as pour point depressants (PPDs) for coal-based diesel. The findings indicate that the C14MC-MA-MCA (3:1:1) terpolymer exhibited the most effective inhibition of the solid point (SP) at 1500 ppm concentration. Specifically, it reduced the SP of coal-based diesel from − 4 ℃ to -42 ℃, marking a significant decrease of 38 ℃. Furthermore, the crystallization behavior and SP reduction mechanism of C14MC-MA-MCA in coal-based diesel were investigated using viscosity analysis and polarized optical microscopy (POM).