LAUSR

This manuscript has the primary objective of demonstrating the changes in the rheological behavior of heavy crude oils (HO) in response to the application of ultrasound cavitation assisted with NiO-functionalized SiO2 nanoparticles (SiNi1). A HO with an asphaltene mass fraction of 17.0% was used for the tests which were carried out at 25 °C and 1 atm with a fixed ultrasound frequency and power of 37 kHz and 400 W, respectively. The viscosity measurements were performed on four different samples: the HO in the absence of nanoparticles and ultrasound irradiation (sample A), the HO alongside ultrasound irradiation (sample B), the HO with the addition of nanoparticles (sample C), and, finally, the HO in the presence of the mentioned nanomaterial and ultrasound irradiation (sample D). It was observed that a single treatment, whatever it is, only slightly changed the original HO rheology, while the cooperative action of ultrasound cavitation and nanoparticles addition induced several measurable differences with...