Application of Janus nanoparticles in enhanced oil recovery processes: Current status and future opportunities

Janus nanoparticles (JNPs), as a new and special type of nanoparticles (NPs), have a great potential to use in enhanced oil recovery (EOR) processes. The surfaces of JNPs have two or more distinct physical properties which allow them to have different chemical behaviors at the same time. Nowadays, this type of nanoparticle has drawn much attention in EOR. In this study, the application of JNPs in EOR processes is reviewed and JNPs are compared with common NPs. Special features, synthesis methods, advantages, and disadvantages of the JNPs for use in oil recovery methods are discussed. Also, the influence of the JNPs on the viscosity alteration, interfacial tension (IFT) reduction, wettability alteration, and oil recovery factor are discussed by reviewing previous conducted experimental and numerical studies. Despite all the studies conducted in this field, many challenges are facing these materials for use at field-scale operations that are discussed in this study. Producing JNPs with different bases such as metal oxides bases, synthesize a new JNPs at an industrial scale, the effect of reservoir's pressure and temperature, and development of new strategies are still needed to investigate in future studies to find the mechanism of JNPs in oil reservoirs and utilize them in real EOR operations.