Controlling crystallization at the interface between oil and brine
AssigneeKing Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
InventorsTheis Ivan Solling, Safwat Abdelazeim
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Abstract
A method is described for determining the structure of a surfactant complex formed at an immiscible liquid-liquid interface. The surfactant complex forms and crystallizes at the interface between an aqueous phase comprising a divalent metal salt and a non-aqueous phase comprising an anionic surfactant. The non-aqueous phase may be in the form of a droplet surrounded by the aqueous phase. The structure of the surfactant complex is determined by X-ray crystallography.
Claims20
A method for determining a molecular structure of a surfactant complex formed at an immiscible liquid-liquid interface, the method comprising:
- forming the immiscible liquid-liquid interface between a single aqueous phase and a single non-aqueous phase, wherein the non-aqueous phase comprises an anionic surfactant, and wherein the non-aqueous phase is in the form of a droplet surrounded by the aqueous phase;
- adding to the aqueous phase a divalent metal salt, wherein the surfactant complex forms at the interface as a crystalline solid, the surfactant complex comprising the divalent metal salt and the anionic surfactant;
- and
- determining the molecular structure of the surfactant complex by X-ray crystallography of the crystalline solid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.