Static Adsorption of an Ethoxylated Nonionic Surfactant on Carbonate Minerals.
The static adsorption of C12-14E22, which is a highly ethoxylated nonionic surfactant, was studied on different minerals using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) combined with an evaporative light scattering detector (ELSD). Of particular interest is the surfactant adsorption in the presence of CO2because it can be used for foam flooding in enhanced oil recovery applications. The effects of the mineral type, impurities, salinity, and temperature were investigated. The adsorption of C12-14E22on pure calcite was as low as 0.01 mg/m2but higher on dolomite depending on the silica and clay content in the mineral. The adsorption remained unchanged when the experiments were performed using a brine solution or 0.101 MPa (1 atm) CO2, which indicates that electrostatic force is not the governing factor that drives the adsorption. The adsorption of C12-14E22on silica may be due to hydrogen bonding between the oxygen in the ethoxy groups of the surfactant and the hydroxyl groups on the mineral surface. Additionally, thermal decomposition of the surfactant was severe at 80 °C but can be inhibited by operating in a reducing environment. Under reducing conditions, adsorption of C12-14E22increased at higher temperatures.
Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University , Houston, Texas 77005, United States.
Guoqing
G
Jian
Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University , Houston, Texas 77005, United States.
Maura C
MC
Puerto
Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University , Houston, Texas 77005, United States.
Anna
A
Wehowsky
Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University , Houston, Texas 77005, United States.
Pengfei
P
Dong
McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin , Austin, Texas 78712, United States.
Keith P
KP
Johnston
Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University , Houston, Texas 77005, United States.
George J
GJ
Hirasaki
Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University , Houston, Texas 77005, United States.
Sibani Lisa
SL
Biswal