Acrylamide-Based Hydrogels for Enhanced Gas Hydrate Formation

The increasing share of natural gas in the energy structure necessitates efficient storage and transportation technologies. Solid-state natural gas storage via gas hydrates offers advantages like high storage capacity, stability, and cost-effectiveness, but its industrial application is hindered by slow hydrate formation kinetics and limited storage efficiency. Hydrogels, recognized for their excellent hydrophilicity, high water retention, and low cost, present an effective approach to enhance hydrate formation. This study synthesized P(AM-co-AMPS) hydrogel based on an acrylamide-based gel system by optimizing monomer ratio, crosslinker, and initiator loadings. Experimental results identified the optimal formulation: monomer ratio (AM:AMPS) of 2:3, crosslinker (MBA) loading of 0.3%, and total initiator (KPS/NaHSO3) loading of 0.8%. This formulation significantly reduced the hydrate induction time from 81 min in a pure water system to 28 min. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed the underlying mechanism: the hydrogel induces high-density aggregation of methane molecules, thereby accelerating hydrate nucleation. This research provides important experimental and theoretical foundations for developing cost-effective gel-type hydrate promoters.