Structural Effects of Nonionic Surfactants on Their Ability to Reduce the Dissolution Pressures of Heavy Hydrocarbons in Supercritical CO2

The effects of selected nonionic surfactants on dissolution pressures of the octacosane and hydrocarbon mixtures in supercritical CO₂ (scCO₂) were investigated at 318–343 K to study relationships between the structures of the surfactants and their ability to improve solubility. Dissolution pressures of the solutes were experimentally observed to be decreased by at most 11.10% and at least 0.44% in the presence of the surfactants. However, this solubility‐improving performance was diminished with an increase in the molecular chain length of the surfactant. Linear surfactants gave better solubility‐improving performances in the octacosane/scCO₂ systems, while branched compounds were better in the hydrocarbon mixture/scCO₂ systems, which are attributed to the similarity of the chain length between the surfactant and the solute. X‐ray computed tomography tests provided evidence for direct material exchange between the hydrocarbon mixture and scCO₂.     

Stabilization of natural gas foams using different surfactants at high pressure and high temperature conditions

Natural gas foam can be used for mobility control and channel blocking during natural gas injection for enhanced oil recovery, in which stable foams need to be used at high reservoir temperature, high pressure and high water salinity conditions in field applications. In this study, the performance of methane (CH₄) foams stabilized by different types of surfactants was tested using a high pressure and high temperature foam meter for surfactant screening and selection, including anionic surfactant (sodium dodecyl sulfate), non-anionic surfactant (alkyl polyglycoside), zwitterionic surfactant (dodecyl dimethyl betaine) and cationic surfactant (dodecyl trimethyl ammonium chloride), and the results show that CH₄-SDS foam has much better performance than that of the other three surfactants. The influences of gas types (CH₄, N₂, and CO₂), surfactant concentration, temperature (up to 110°C), pressure (up to 12.0 MPa), and the presence of polymers as foam stabilizer on foam performance was also evaluated using SDS surfactant. The experimental results show that the stability of CH₄ foam is better than that of CO₂ foam, while N₂ foam is the most stable, and CO₂ foam has the largest foam volume, which can be attributed to the strong interactions between CO₂ molecules with H₂O. The foaming ability and foam stability increase with the increase of the SDS concentration up to 1.0 wt% (0.035 mol/L), but a further increase of the surfactant concentration has a negative effect. The high temperature can greatly reduce the stability of CH₄-SDS foam, while the foaming ability and foam stability can be significantly enhanced at high pressure. The addition of a small amount of polyacrylamide as a foam stabilizer can significantly increase the viscosity of the bulk solution and improve the foam stability, and the higher the molecular weight of the polymer, the higher viscosity of the foam liquid film, the better foam performance.     

Effect of acid gases on the solubility of n-propylmercaptan in 50 wt% methyl-diethanolamine aqueous solution

In this communication, we have measured the solubility and partition coefficient of n-propylmercaptan in 50 wt% MDEA aqueous solution at 366 K in the presence of single and mixed acid gases (CO₂ and H₂S). A static analytic method was used for performing all the measurements. Methane was used to maintain the total pressure of the system in equilibrium cell. The concentration of n-propylmercaptan in aqueous phase was in the 50–1000 ppm (mole) range. The effect of acid gas loadings on the physical and chemical solubility of n-propylmercaptan is discussed.     

Partitioning of drug model compounds between poly(lactic acid)s and supercritical CO2 using quartz crystal microbalance as an in situ detector

Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) was used as an in situ detector to investigate the potential application in the phase equilibrium determination of supercritical CO₂-drug-polymer systems. CO₂ solubility in two biodegradable polymers, poly(d,l-lactic acid) (d,l-PLA) and poly(l-lactic acid) (l-PLA) was primarily measured at 313.15 K and pressures up to 10.0 MPa. d,l-PLA showed a better CO₂ absorption ability due to its amorphous structure. Four drug model compounds of poor solubility in water, ibuprofen, aspirin, salicylic acid and naphthalene were selected as representatives for the examination of drug uptake in PLA matrices, as well as partition coefficient during supercritical impregnation. It was found that partition coefficients of drugs can reach as high as 10³-10⁴ orders of magnitude and greatly affected by the intermolecular interactions between drugs and PLA. Aspirin exhibited the best partitioning during the supercritical impregnation at pressures of 8.0-10.0 MPa due to the existence of carboxylic acid and acetyl groups. Drug partitioning is additionally related to the drug concentration in ScCO₂, i.e. salicylic acid showed little absorption in PLA according to its poor solubility in ScCO₂ at 7.5-8.0 MPa, whereas the well CO₂-soluble compound, naphthalene, exhibited a moderate partition coefficient although its polarity was different from l-PLA.     

Stability improvement of CO2 foam for enhanced oil‐recovery applications using polyelectrolytes and polyelectrolyte complex nanoparticles

CO₂ foam for enhanced oil‐recovery applications has been traditionally used in order to address mobility‐control problems that occur during CO₂ flooding. However, the supercritical CO₂ foam generated by surfactant has a few shortcomings, such as loss of surfactant to the formation due to adsorption and lack of a stable front in the presence of crude oil. These problems arise because surfactants dynamically leave and enter the foam interface. We discuss the addition of polyelectrolytes and polyelectrolyte complex nanoparticles (PECNP) to the surfactant solution to stabilize the interface using electrostatic forces to generate stronger and longer‐lasting foams. An optimized ratio and pH of the polyelectrolytes was used to generate the nanoparticles. Thereafter we studied the interaction of the polyelectrolyte–surfactant CO₂ foam and the polyelectrolyte complex nanoparticle–surfactant CO₂ foam with crude oil in a high‐pressure, high‐temperature static view cell. The nanoparticle–surfactant CO₂ foam system was found to be more durable in the presence of crude oil. Understanding the rheology of the foam becomes crucial in determining the effect of shear on the viscosity of the foam. A high‐pressure, high‐temperature rheometer setup was used to shear the CO₂ foam for the three different systems, and the viscosity was measured with time. It was found that the viscosity of the CO₂ foams generated by these new systems of polyelectrolytes was slightly better than the surfactant‐generated CO₂ foams. Core‐flood experiments were conducted in the absence and presence of crude oil to understand the foam mobility and the oil recovered. The core‐flood experiments in the presence of crude oil show promising results for the CO₂ foams generated by nanoparticle–surfactant and polyelectrolyte–surfactant systems. This paper also reviews the extent of damage, if any, that could be caused by the injection of nanoparticles. It was observed that the PECNP–surfactant system produced 58.33% of the residual oil, while the surfactant system itself produced 47.6% of the residual oil in place. Most importantly, the PECNP system produced 9.1% of the oil left after the core was flooded with the surfactant foam system. This proves that the PECNP system was able to extract more oil from the core when the surfactant foam system was already injected. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134, 44491.     

Permeability alterations in unilamellar liposomes due to betaine-type zwitterionic and anionic surfactant mixed systems

The alterations caused by betaine-type zwitterionic and anionic surfactant mixed systems in the permeability of unilamellar liposomes have been investigated. The partition coefficient of these systems, at different molar fractions, between the aqueous phase and the lipid bilayer of liposomes has been determined. These surfactant mixed systems were formed byN-dodecyl-N,N-dimethylbetaine (C₁₂-Bet) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) in the presence of 20 mM PIPES buffer and 110 mM Na₂SO₄, at pH 7.21. Unilamellar liposomes were prepared from egg phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidic acid (9:1 molar ratio). The release of the fluorescent agent 5-(6)-carboxyfluorescein induced by the systems has been studied at sub-solubilizing concentrations. When the molar fraction of C₁₂-Bet/SDS is about 0.4, the critical micelle concentration values of these systems exhibit a minimum, whereas their partition coefficient between the aqueous phase and lipid bilayer of lipid bilayers shows a maximum. There is a consistent correlation between the partition coefficient and the ability of the different systems of surfactants to modify the permeability of liposomes.     

Solubilization and release of fragrance agents in the aqueous solution of CO2 switchable surfactants

This study describes the enhancement in the solubility and controlled-release of fragrance agents (menthol, four n-alkanols, and three aromatic esters) using three CO₂ switchable surfactants (N-alkylimidazolium bicarbonates). The surfactants significantly improved the solubility of fragrance agents in water. N-Dodecylimidazolium bicarbonate was the most effective surfactant to solubilize menthol. A stability test indicated that the surfactant could stably disperse menthol in water. Moreover, the surfactants improved the solubility of n-alkanols to different levels, however, the solubility of the aromatic esters equally. The release of menthol from the surfactant solution under N₂ at different durations of bubbling time, temperatures, and flow velocities were studied.     

1-氨丙基-3-甲基咪唑溴功能型离子液体对CO2的吸收性能

1-氨丙基-3-甲基咪唑溴盐([APMIm])对CO₂等酸性气体具有较强的选择性吸收性能,在能源及环保领域有较好应用前景。运用等容饱和吸收法在高压不锈钢反应釜中测得CO₂在3种不同含水量的1-氨丙基-3-甲基咪唑溴盐水溶液中的溶解度数据,实验的温度范围为278.15~348.15 K,实验压力由低于大气压到最高6.5 MPa。实验结果表明,当水的质量分数达到60.84%以上,离子液体水溶液吸收CO₂的能力和速率才会得到显著提升。尤其值得注意的是,在278.15 K、120 kPa达到吸收平衡时,CO₂在含水质量分数为60.84%的1-氨丙基-3-甲基咪唑溴盐水溶液中的溶解度达到0.459 mol CO₂ ·(mol IL)^-1,接近理论最大吸收值0.5 mol CO₂·(mol IL)^-1。在较高压力下(3.9 MPa)最大CO₂吸收量为1.894 mol CO₂·(mol IL)^-1。     

Synthesis of Siloxane Polyether Surfactants and Their Solubility in Supercritical CO2

Four siloxane polyether surfactants were synthesized from allyl bromide, polyethylene glycol methyl ether and heptamethyltrisiloxane (HMTS) to explore their solubility in CO₂. The dissolving pressures of these surfactants were measured using a high‐pressure view cell at 318–343 K to calculate their solubility in CO₂. The results show that, the silicone‐containing surfactants exhibit excellent solubility in CO₂. The shorter the polyethylene glycol group, the better the solubility in CO₂. Of the five compounds tested, HMTS showed the best solubility in CO₂ which was around 2.4% as a mole percentage. The surfactants show much better solubility than the commonly used surfactants. Moreover, by investigating the effects of the pressure and temperature on the solubility, it was found that an increase in pressure benefits solubility of the compound in CO₂, while an increase in temperature within the experimental range does the opposite. In addition, a linear correlation in the logarithmic values of the solubility data and the density of CO₂ was found, which means the solubility follows density more directly and not the pressure.     

Interfacial tension and the behavior of microemulsions and macroemulsions of water and carbon dioxide with a branched hydrocarbon nonionic surfactant

Measurements of interfacial tensions for 2-ethyl-hexanol-(propylene oxide)∼_4.5-(ethylene oxide)∼₈ (2EH-PO_4.5-EO₈) at the planar water-CO₂ interface and the surfactant distribution coefficient are utilized to explain microemulsion and macroemulsion phase behavior from 24 to 60 °C and 6.9 to 27.6 MPa. A CO₂ captive bubble technique has been developed to measure the interfacial tension γ at a known surfactant concentration in the aqueous phase, with rapid equilibration at the water-CO₂ interface. The surface pressure (γ_o − γ) decreases modestly with density at constant temperature as CO₂ solvates the surfactant tails more effectively, but changes little with temperature at constant density. The area per surfactant at the CO₂-water interface determined from the Gibbs adsorption equation decreases from 250 A²/molecule at 24 °C and 6.9 MPa, to 200 A²/molecule at 27.6 MPa. It was approximately twofold larger than that at the water-air interface, given the much smaller γ_o driving force for surfactant adsorption. For systems with added NaCl, γ decreases with salinity at low CO₂ densities as the surfactant partitions from water towards the W-C interface. At high densities, salt drives the surfactant from the W-C interface to CO₂ and raises γ. Compared with most hydrocarbon surfactants, this dual tail surfactant is unusually CO₂-philic in that it partitions primarily into the CO₂ phase versus the water phase at CO₂ densities above 0.8 g/ml, and produces γ values below 1 mN/m. With this small γ, a middle phase microemulsion and a C/W microemulsion were formed at low temperatures and high CO₂ densities, whereas macroemulsions were formed at other conditions.     

Experimental Study on Foam Properties of Mixed Systems of Silicone and Hydrocarbon Surfactants

Silicone surfactants are inevitably involved in industrial applications in combination with hydrocarbon surfactants, but properties of the mixtures of silicone and hydrocarbon surfactants have received little attention, especially foam properties of the mixtures. In this study, aqueous solutions of respective binary mixtures of a nonionic silicone surfactant with anionic, cationic, and nonionic hydrocarbon surfactants were prepared for evaluation of their foam properties. Surface tension of aqueous solutions of the mixtures were measured with the maximum bubble pressure method. Foaming ability and foam stability of the mixtures were then evaluated with the standard Ross–Miles method. The findings show that the addition of the silicone surfactant results in a decrease in surface tension for aqueous solutions of the hydrocarbon surfactants. The critical micelle concentration (CMC) of the hydrocarbon surfactants is also changed by the additive silicone surfactant. Additionally, clear foam synergistic effects were observed in the mixtures of silicone and hydrocarbon surfactants, regardless of the ionic types of the hydrocarbon surfactant. The foam stability of the hydrocarbon surfactant was shown to generally improve with the increasing concentration of the silicone surfactant. Even so, aqueous solutions of different ionic hydrocarbon surfactants in the presence of the silicone surfactant will give different foam stabilities. The results of the present study are meant to provide guidance for the practical application of foams generated by the mixtures of the silicone and hydrocarbon surfactants.     

Transfer rate measurement of lysozyme by liquid-liquid extraction using reverse micelles with dense CO2

Lysozyme was extracted from aqueous solution into i-octane using reverse micelles in the presence of pressurized CO₂. A squat vessel with two independent stirrers was used to measure the mass transfer of the lysozyme across a planar interface. Mass transfer coefficient, k _L of the lysozyme from the aqueous to the organic phase was measured at selected ionic strengths, pH, sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate (AOT) surfactant concentrations, temperatures and pressurized CO₂. The mass transfer rate of lysozyme was higher in high temperature (318 K) and pressure (20MPa). pH of 9 in aqueous phase showed highest mass transfer rate of lysozyme. The application of pressurized CO2 markedly increased the mass transfer rate of lysozyme comparing to conventional non-pressurized system.     

Stabilization of CO2‐in‐water emulsions with high internal phase volume using PVAc‐b‐PVP and PVP‐b‐PVAc‐b‐PVP as emulsifying agents

Two newly‐designed hydrocarbon surfactants, that is, poly(vinyl acetate)‐block‐poly(1‐vinyl‐2‐pyrrolidone) (PVAc‐b‐PVP) and PVP‐b‐PVAc‐b‐PVP, were synthesized using reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer polymerization and used to form CO₂/water (C/W) emulsions with high internal phase volume and good stability against flocculation and coalescence up to 60 h. Their structures were precisely determined by nuclear magnetic resonance, gel permeation chromatography, thermal gravimetric analysis, and differential scanning calorimetry. Besides low temperature and high CO₂ pressure, the surfactant structures were the key factors affecting the formation and stability of high internal phase C/W emulsions, including the polymerization degrees of CO₂‐philic block (PVAc) and hydrophilic block (PVP), as well as the number of hydrophilic tail. The surface tension of the surfactant aqueous solution and the apparent viscosity of the C/W emulsions were also measured to characterize the surfactants efficiency and effectiveness. The surfactants with double hydrophilic tails showed stronger emulsifying ability than those with single hydrophilic tail. The great enhancement of the emulsions stability was due to decrease of the interface tension as well as increase of the steric hindrance in the water lamellae, preventing a frequent collision of CO₂ droplets and their fast coalescence. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018 , 135, 46351.     

Three-phase catalytic hydrogenation of α-methylstyrene in supercritical carbon dioxide

The three-phase catalytic hydrogenation (TPCH) of α-methylstyrene using supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO₂) in a slurry reactor is reported. Kinetic data are presented for the reaction at 323 K over the range of pressure from 7.0 to 13.0 MPa using a carbon-supported palladium catalyst. The experimental data are fitted to a first-order power-law model. A detailed explanation of the methodology used to isolate the effect of CO₂ on the rate of reaction is presented. Particular attention is given to the phase behaviour of the reaction system and the volumetric expansion of the liquid phase with CO₂. It is shown that scCO₂ significantly enhances the rate of reaction. This effect is attributed to the enhancement of the solubility of hydrogen in the liquid phase.     

Absorption of CO2 by aqueous triethanolamine (TEA) solutions in a high shear jet absorber

CO₂ diluted with N₂ was absorbed by aqueous triethanolamine (TEA) solutions in a jet absorber consisting of a high pressure stainless steel vessel with a pressure nozzle at the top. The gas mixture and the aqueous solution were passed simultaneously, through the pressure nozzle into the absorber. Due to the high shear imparted to the liquid very fine droplets were produced, which resulted in a very high interfacial area and rapid mass transfer. CO₂ was absorbed rapidly by the TEA solution. The effects of gas and liquid flow rates, solution concentration and CO₂ partial pressure on CO₂ loading per unit mole of TEA and the overall mass transfer coefficient were examined. CO₂ loading per mole of TEA increased with gas flow rate and decreased with liquid flow rate and solution concentration. The overall mass transfer coefficient was found to increase with gas and liquid flow rates. Both the CO₂ removal per mole of TEA and the overall mass transfer coefficient were found to be a strong function of power dissipated at the nozzle.     

Extraction of erythromycin‐A using colloidal liquid aphrons: I. Equilibrium partitioning

Colloidal liquid aphrons (CLAs) are surfactant‐stabilised solvent droplets which have recently been explored for use in pre‐dispersed solvent extraction (PDSE). In this work, the equilibrium partitioning of a microbial secondary metabolite, erythromycin, has been studied using both CLAs (formulated from 1% (w/v) Softanol 120 in decanol and 0.5% (w/v) SDS in water) and surfactant‐containing, two‐phase systems. The equilibrium partitioning of erythromycin was found to be strongly influenced by the extraction pH, and exhibited a marked change either side of the pK_a of the molecule. A modified form of the Henderson–Hasselbach equation could be used as a simple design equation to predict the equilibrium partition coefficient (m_eryt = C_org /C_aq) as a function of pH. For extraction experiments with dispersed CLAs where pH > pK_a, m_eryt values as high as 150 could be obtained and the erythromycin could be concentrated by factors of up to 100. Experiments were also carried out in surfactant‐containing, two‐phase systems to determine the effect of individual surfactants used for aphron formulation on erythromycin partitioning. For extraction at pH 10 neither the Softanol (a non‐ionic surfactant) nor SDS (an anionic surfactant) had any influence on the equilibrium erythromycin partition coefficients. For stripping at pH 7, however, it was found that recovery of erythromycin from the organic phase decreased with increasing concentration of SDS, although again the Softanol had no influence on the equilibrium. The effect of SDS was attributed to a specific electrostatic interaction between individual erythromycin and SDS molecules under stripping conditions. The m_eryt values and concentration factors achievable in the two‐phase systems were considerably less than those for the PDSE experiments. The physical properties of the two‐phase systems, ie density, viscosity, interfacial tension, etc, and the equilibrium distribution of the surfactants were also determined in relation to subsequent studies on the kinetics of erythromycin extraction. © 2000 Society of Chemical Industry     

Solubility of CO2 in Aqueous Piperazine and its Modeling using the Kent‐Eisenberg Approach

A systematic investigation of the equilibrium solubility of CO₂ in aqueous piperazine solutions was conducted in a double‐jacketed stirred cell reactor. The solubilities of CO₂ in the solution were measured at 20, 30, 40, and 50 °C with CO₂ partial pressures ranging from 0.4–95 kPa. Generally the aqueous piperazine solution exhibits the same characteristics as conventional alkanolamines. Increasing the CO₂ partial pressure increases the gas loading, however increasing the temperature or concentration decreases the CO₂ loading. The values of the CO₂ loading obtained confirm that the piperazine forms stable carbamates. The equilibrium solubility data were analyzed using a Kent‐Eisenberg approach. Representation of the model is generally in good agreement with that of the experimental data, especially at high temperature.     

Supercritical fluid dyeing of PMMA films with azo-dyes

In situ ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy has been used to study diffusion of two azo-dyes in a CO₂-swollen matrix of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). The diffusivity of both dyes can be tuned simply be changing the system pressure. Higher pressure of CO₂ enhances diffusion of a dye in PMMA. The diffusion of dyes in CO₂-swollen PMMA can also be influenced by specific interactions. The partitioning of the dyes between the polymer phase and the fluid phase was measured, and the partition coefficients are large (10⁴–10⁵). Thus, supercritical fluid dyeing is possible, although the solubility of the dyes in the fluid phase is low. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 69: 911–919, 1998     

Synthesis of a biocompatible polymer using siloxane-based surfactants in supercritical carbon dioxide

Poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) (PVP) particles were prepared by dispersion polymerization in the presence of 2,2′-azobisisobutyronitrile as the initiator and siloxane-based surfactant in supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO₂). The dispersants used in this study were non-ionic, non-reactive and commercially produced siloxane-based surfactants (Monasil PCA and KF-6017). We investigated the effect of kinds and concentrations of the surfactants, in addition to the reaction temperature and the concentration of the monomer on the particle size and morphology. PVP microspheres were prepared in 0.23–0.74 μm size range with Monasil PCA and 0.71–1.98 μm size range with KF-6017, respectively. The resulting polymer particle of >90% yield was obtained. Particle size slightly increased with the amount of monomer in polymerization with Monasil PCA. In the case of KF-6017 as the surfactant, there was not an obvious variation in particle size with increasing monomer. Particle size of PVP decreased as surfactant concentration increased from 5.0 to 15.0 wt.% basis on concentration of monomer. The narrow particle size distribution (D_n = 0.23 μm and PSD = 1.06) was presented at the high concentration of Monasil PCA (15 wt.% on monomer concentration). As indicated by the reaction temperature and the addition of organic solvent, which affected solubility of monomer, polymer and surfactant in scCO₂, particle size and particle size distribution of PVP varied. PVP particles with Monasil PCA strongly aggregated at 75 °C in contrast to KF-6017 which showed discrete particles at 65 and 70 °C, but particle size distribution was broad. Particle size was slightly reduced with a little amount of hexane, with an inverse relationship of adding hexane reduced the particle size. The amount of the relative residual surfactants on surface of the polymer after extracting with supercritical fluid process (SFE) was measured by using SEM/EDS and EPMA analysis to map out the distribution of silicon element qualitatively. The original polymer particle before the extraction using CO₂ had the high level of silicon element, but the average level of silicon element became low after CO₂ extraction.