Pensini, E, Harbottle, D, Yang, F et al. (6 more authors) (2014) Demulsification mechanism of asphaltene-stabilized water-in-oil emulsions by a polymeric ethylene oxide-propylene oxide demulsifier. Energy and Fuels, 28 (11). 6760 - 6771. ISSN 0887-0624
Abstract
The demulsification mechanism of asphaltene-stabilized water-in-toluene emulsions by an ethylene-oxide-propylene oxide (EO-PO) based polymeric demulsifier was studied. Demulsification efficiency was determined by bottle tests and correlated to the physicochemical properties of asphaltene interfacial films after demulsifier addition. From bottle tests and droplet coalescence experiments, the demulsifier showed an optimal performance at 2.3 ppm (mass basis) in toluene. At high concentrations, the demulsification performance deteriorated due to the intrinsic stabilizing capacity of the demulsifier, which was attributed to steric repulsion between water droplets. Addition of demulsifier was shown to soften the asphaltene film (i.e., reduce the viscoelastic moduli of asphaltene films) under both shear and compressional interfacial deformations. Study of the macrostructures and the chemical composition of asphaltene film at the toluene-water interface after demulsifier addition demonstrated gradual penetration of the demulsifier into the asphaltene film. Demulsifier penetration in the asphaltene film changed the asphaltene interfacial mobility and morphology, as probed with Brewster angle and atomic force microscopy.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2014 American Chemical Society.This document is the Accepted Manuscript version of a Published Work that appeared in final form in Energy and Fuels after peer review and technical editing by the publisher. To access the final edited and published work see http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/angeo-32-1321-2014. Uploaded in accordance with publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Engineering & Physical Sciences (Leeds) > School of Chemical & Process Engineering (Leeds) > Institute for Particle Science and Engineering (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 03 Jul 2015 15:21 |
Last Modified: | 20 Oct 2015 16:38 |
Published Version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/ef501387k |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | American Chemical Society |
Identification Number: | 10.1021/ef501387k |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:85200 |