Rapid prototyping of carbonate gypsum-based 2.5D microfluidic chip using CO2 laser ablation and application in Enhanced Oil Recovery

Abstract

Abstract In order to better mimic the properties of natural reservoirs, this study proposes a rapid prototyping technology for a 2.5D microfluidic chip based on carbonate gypsum. The microchannels are directly laser-ablated on the surface of the carbonate gypsum substrate using a CO2 laser. The fabricated profiled microchannels with various processing parameters are analyzed in this study. Additionally, the surface morphology of the laser-ablated area is examined in detail. Wettabilities on the carbonate gypsum substrate are also tested.By adjusting the processing power, scanning speed, and processing times of the laser, 2.5D microchannels with different depths, widths, and aspect ratios can be obtained. This allows for the replication of the complex pore throat structure found in reservoirs. To demonstrate the proposed fabrication techniques, two different types of carbonate gypsum-based chips are fabricated in this study. These chips are then used to conduct the enhanced oil recovery process.