Drag Reduction by Wormlike Micelles of a Biodegradable and Non-Biodegradable Surfactants

This study describes the effects of wormlike micelles formed by the commercial surfactants tallowalkylamidopropyl dimethylamine oxide (Aromox APA-TW) and oleyl methyl bis(2-hydroxyethyl) ammonium chloride (Ethoquad O/12) as drag reducers. Ethoquad O/12 is immune to degradation by heat and microorganisms. Conversely, Aromox APA-TW is biodegradable in the environment, and its susceptibility to heat-induced degradation was previously assessed. This work considers the effects of temperature, salt, and time on the drag-reduction capacity (in different Reynolds number) of wormlike micelles of these two surfactants. Wormlike micelles formed by Aromox APA-TW are able to reduce drag at higher temperatures compared to wormlike micelles formed by Ethoquad O/12. However, Aromox APA-TW can degrade after being heated to 80 °C and also after storage of the wormlike micelle solutions. Ethoquad O/12 does not undergo degradation after being heated or stored. These surfactants have the potential to be used as additives in industrial operations, as the wormlike micelles formed are able to reduce drag in systems with long pumping distances or recirculation, even in solutions with high salt concentrations (brine) and high temperatures.     

Modified Two-Phase Titration Methods to Quantify Surfactant Concentrations in Chemical-Enhanced Oil Recovery Applications

In enhanced oil recovery applications, surfactants are injected into reservoirs along with polymers and salts. The effluents eluted from lab experiments and field tests are analyzed by HPLC methods using an evaporative light scattering detector (ELSD) detector. When the surfactant concentrations are less than 100 ppm, HPLC methods are inaccurate. A novel two-phase titration method is developed where surfactant concentrations can be quantified using a calibration curve constructed with UV/vis absorption. This method can analyze surfactant concentrations 5–80 ppm where dilution eliminates any high-salinity interferences with the absorption measurements. The method is based on formation of a dye-surfactant complex and the light absorption of the complex has a linear correlation with the surfactant concentration. Anionic surfactant concentrations lower than 100 ppm can be accurately quantified using this method with methylene blue. The method was also developed for low concentrations (<50 ppm) of cationic surfactants using methyl orange and indigo carmine. The indigo carmine method can be used without the use of an organic phase. All methods are applicable at salinities up to 3 wt%. Both the methylene blue method and the methyl orange method can be used to detect zwitterionic surfactants. These methods can be used in the presence of polymers without any prior treatments.     

MES表面活性剂的工业化精制工艺

将α-磺基脂肪酸甲酯钠盐（MES）产品（含活性物质70%）在加热熔融的状态下滴加到50~55℃低沸点水溶性有机溶剂中，经冷却、结晶、过滤和干燥，得到高纯MES粉剂产品。考察了低沸点水溶性有机溶剂种类、原料与溶剂的投料质量比、冷却温度和结晶时间等工艺条件对产品回收率、活性物质量分数和过筛率的影响，得到了最佳纯化精制工艺：以甲醇为溶剂，5 kg MES，MES与溶剂的投料质量比为1：3，冷却温度为5℃，结晶时间为120 min，干燥时间60 min，干燥温度45℃，溶剂使用3次。本工艺条件下，所制得MES粉剂产品回收率大于98%，含活性物质量分数大于93.0%，产品在40℃密封保存12 h后，过0.850 mm筛孔的筛，过筛率达100%。     

木质素基表面活性剂研究现状

木质素作为一种天然高分子化合物，其来源丰富，可以用来代替石油资源制备表面活性剂，缓解当前石油资源枯竭的问题。常见的木质素基表面活性剂有阳离子表面活性剂、阴离子表面活性剂、两性离子表面活性剂以及非离子表面活性剂。木质素基表面活性剂在工业领域具有广泛的应用范围，可以作为染料分散剂、混凝土减水剂、沥青乳化剂以及原油采集过程中的驱油剂等。木质素基表面活性剂的开发利用为生物质产品的高值化利用开辟了一条新的路径。     

Synthesis and Characterization of Sulfanilamide-Based Nonionic Surfactants and Evaluation of Their Nano-Vesicular Drug Loading Application

Nonionic surfactants are highly stable and cost-effective and receiving acceptance for applications in many diverse fields including drug delivery, due to their distinctive properties. Here, we report on the synthesis and characterization of sulfanilamide-based nonionic surfactants for nanoscale vesicular drug loading applications. Nonionic surfactants were synthesized through alkylation of sulfanilamide with alkyl halides that possessed diverse degrees of lipophilicity. They were explored for their nanovesicular drug loading with Cefixime as a hydrophobic model drug. Drug-loaded nanovesicles were characterized for surface morphologies, size, size distribution, surface charge, and drug loading efficiency using atomic force microscopy (AFM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and UV–visible spectrophotometry. All of the synthesized nonionic surfactants revealed their CMC values in 0.055–0.035 mM range depending upon the lipophilic chain length of surfactants. They caused a decreased hemoglobin release and low toxicity against cell culture. They self-assembled and loaded an increased amount of drug in the form of nanorange spherical shape niosomal vesicles. Results of the current study verify these synthesized nonionic surfactants are hemocompatible, nontoxic, and capable of self-assembling into nanorange niosomal vesicles. These niosomal vesicles can be suggested as safe and highly efficient nanocarriers for hydrophobic drug loading and delivery.     

Isolation and identification of soil bacteria resistant to surfactants in washing detergents

Linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) and polyoxyethylene lauryl ether (POLE) are the major surfactants in washing detergents. In the present study, we isolated surfactant-resistant bacteria from soil samples collected from a sports ground and a farm field. The samples were treated with 2.0% LAS or POLE at 25°C for 30 min and cultivated on agar plates at 25°C for several days, after which manifold bacterial colonies were isolated. Thereafter, we tested the ability of each bacterial isolate to resist the antibacterial activity of the surfactant. Ten LAS-resistant strains were isolated, and all were found to be Gram-negative bacteria such as Enterobacter and Pseudomonas. On the other hand, 18 POLE-resistant strains were isolated, of which 14 were Gram-positive bacteria including Bacillus and Microbacterium. Notably, one POLE-resistant strain was identified as Bacillus cereus, a potential causative agent for foodborne illness. The genera of LAS- and POLE-resistant bacteria did not overlap. Therefore, the combination of LAS and POLE could be more effective to eliminate soil bacteria from clothes and/or daily necessities.     

The physicochemical and fire extinguishing performance of aqueous film-forming foams based on a class of short-chain fluorinated surfactants

Aqueous film-forming foams (AFFFs) are an important for fire extinguishing, and their key ingredient is fluorinated surfactant. In recent years, traditional long-chain fluorinated surfactants have been banned by most countries because of their persistence, bio-accumulation and toxicity. Therefore, increased attention has been paid to the research and development of short-chain fluorinated surfactants. As is well known, the introduction of hydrophilic or hydrophobic groups in a surfactant affects its surface activity, and therefore, the fire extinguishing performance of AFFFs. In this work, a series of short-chain fluorosurfactant-based AFFFs with different hydrophobic chain lengths were prepared. The physicochemical performance of mixed systems (fluorinated surfactant plus sodium hexanesulfonate), including surface activity, spreading ability, foam expansion, drainage time, and the fire extinguishing and burn-back performance of AFFFs were studied. The results show that the critical micelle concentration (CMC) and the surface tension (γ_CMC) at the CMC of mixed systems at 25°C are lower than 7.68 mmol/L and 16.51 mN/m, respectively. For mixed systems, the average spreading rate is more than 1.09 cm/s, the foam expansion is over 7.1, and the drainage time is greater than 3.28 min. The fire extinguishing time of AFFFs on fuels is less than 51 s while the burn-back time is more than 15.18 min. The results imply a potential application prospect of the short-chain fluorinated surfactants in AFFFs.     

表面活性剂对电解锌粉形貌的影响

研究氯化铵体系电解制备超细锌粉时,三种典型的表面活性剂对槽电压,锌粉沉积状态和锌粉颗粒大小和形态的影响.结果表明,在锌离子浓度为32g/L.电解液温度为60℃时,非离子表面活性剂吐温-80可以使锌粉颗粒均匀分散,表面活性剂的加入对槽电压影响不大.     

表面活性剂助滤机理的研究

在对不同类型表面活性剂的助滤效果比较的基础上，通过诸如表面活性剂对溶液的表面张力、起泡性能以及其在矿物表面上的吸附、对矿物表面的ξ一电位、接触角的影响等测定，系统地阐述了表面活性剂作为助滤剂的作用机理；揭示了表面活性剂使物料表面疏水、压缩、破坏水化膜对强化物料脱水的重要性，首次提出了通过度颗粒表面“大面积疏水”来强化物料脱水的观点；指出了表面活性剂的起泡性对脱水过程的不利和类似于浮选捕收剂的常规表面活性剂并非良好的助滤剂的原因所在。