1. Ultra-Low IFT Using Surfactants
Dr. Jeffrey H. Harwell
Ultra-Low IFT Using Surfactants
Research Presentation By:
Eric Henderson
Ch E Junior

2. What are surfactants? Surfactant: SURFace ACTive AgeNT
Adsorbs or accumulates at surfaces and interfaces or form structures to create new molecular surfaces1
Lipophobic – Fat fearing Lyophobic – solvent (water) hating
Lipophilic – Fat loving Lyophilic – water loving

3. Micellization
When concentrations are high enough, surfactant molecules will form micelles
The concentration at which this occurs is specific to each surfactant and is called the Critical Micelle Concentration (CMC)
More monomers until CMC, wherein there’s a constant monomer to micelle concentration.
Low concentration of micelles, high for micelles

4. Surfactant Types
Type I – Normal micelles are formed in water or aqueous solution.
Brine (Salt Water) dissolved in oil
Type II – Inverse micelles are formed in nonpolar solvent. Oil dissolved in brine
Type III – Bilayer structure.
Oil & Brine dissolved in middle phase
Specific chemical process with pics Polar dissolves in polar
Different types Nonpolar dissolves in nonpolar
Why Type 3 is best
Oil is hydrophobic
Type II – Oil Soluble
Type I – Water Soluble

5. Formation

6. For this experiment, only salt concentration was varied
Control
Increasing the temperature or salt concentration makes the spherical micelles less stable 
Gravitating towards a planar bilayer formation (Type III)
Decreasing the temperature or salt concentration makes the reverse micelles less stable 
For this experiment, only salt concentration was varied

7. Surfactant Concentration
The Fish Diagram
Type IV
Type I
Type II
Surfactant Concentration
Type III
Percent Salt

8. Other Terminology
Emulsion – a mixture of two or more liquids that are normally immiscible (nonmixable or unblendable).2 Macroemulsion - kinetically stabilized mixtures of at least two immiscible liquids where one of the liquids has droplets with a diameter greater than 0.1 μm. Macroemulsions scatter light effectively and therefore appear milky, because their droplets are greater than a wavelength of light.3 Microemulsion - clear, thermodynamically stable, isotropic liquid mixtures of oil, water and surfactant, frequently in combination with a cosurfactant.4

9. Oil-in-Water Microemulsion Winsor Type I
Water-in-Oil Microemulsion Winsor Type II
Can lead to larger sample final volume
This swelling can lead to a larger final volume of the sample

10. Real-World Application
Generation of fish diagrams for all crude mimics will provide non-site specific surfactant concentration estimates
Method
Step 2
Step 1
Step 3
Find successful water flooding site
Perform chemical floods to maximize recovery
Lab Testing

12. Ultra-low IFT = Ultra-high solubilization = Ultra Money
Bottom Line
Microemulsion benefits:
Ultra-low interfacial tension
Maximum oil solubilization capacity
Ultra-low IFT = Ultra-high solubilization = Ultra Money
82% of OK’s oil remains in oil wells

13. Other Applications Medical & Pharmaeutical
Soaps & Detergents (Hygiene)
Nanoparticle research
Cosmetic industry
Although the surfactants used were for oil and gas related, this type of work applies to many areas of research.

14. Although the surfactants used were for oil and gas related, this type of work applies to many areas of research.

15. Medical Applications
Ultra-low IFT is desirable in many microbial compounds
Biosurfactants:
Similar emulsifying properties
Used as anti-adhesive agents
Antibacterial, antifungal, & antiviral
Coatings for insertional medical tools
Lung surfactants
Used in a broad range of medical applications

17. Materials Salt Surfactants NaCl Cosmacol CaCl2 145-4S Mimic Crude Oils
Dodecane
Decane
Octane
Hexane
Salt
NaCl
CaCl2
Crude oil – Liquid alkane hydrocarbons
Sodium chloride
Calcium chloride

18. Surfactants
Cosmacol AES AL
Alfoterra® 145-4S 90

19. Cosmacol AES AL5
Alcohol ether sulphate chemical structure6

20. Alfoterra® 145-4S 907 Weight percent: 82.2% Chemical structure8,9
Alfoterra 145-4S is a C14-15 branched alcohol sulfate, 4 mole propoxylate

21. Mimic Crude Oils - Liquid Alkane Hydrocarbons
Salt
Dodecane
12 carbon chain
Decane
10 carbon chain
Octane
8 carbon chain
Hexane
6 carbon chain
Calcium Chloride (CaCl2)
Sodium Chloride (NaCl)
CaCl2 99.8% to 10% in stock to varied in samples
NaCl 76.2% to 20% in stock to varied in samples
𝐀𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐝𝐝=𝑻𝒐𝒕𝒂𝒍 𝑴𝒂𝒔𝒔 ∗ 𝒘𝒕 𝑷𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒘𝒕 𝑷𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈

22. Procedure Perform calculations Make samples Do phase behavior
Observe results
Take pictures
Use machine to get IFT’s

23. Results

24. Decane – 5% Surfactant Salt %: 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
Type 3’s are boxed in red
Salt %: 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20

25. Decane
Salt %: 12 13 14
Surf %: 5 8

26. Decane with Sec-butanol
Gelation broken
Salt %: 14 20
Surf %: 5
Alcohol (Sec-butanol) %: 3

27. Decane – 0.5% Surfactant
Salt %: 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20

28. Decane – 0.5% Surfactant With Hexyl Glycoside With Naxan Salt %: 10 1214 16

29. Dodecane – 0.5% Surfactant
Salt %: 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20

30. Dodecane – 0.5% Surfactant
With Hexyl Glycoside
With Naxan
Salt %: 10 12 14 16

31. Octane – 0.5% Surfactant
DIRTY CAPS!
Salt %: 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20

32. Octane – 0.5% Surfactant With Hexyl Glycoside With Naxan Salt %: 10 1214 16

33. Hexane – 0.5% Surfactant
Salt %: 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20

34. Hexane – 0.5% Surfactant With Hexyl Glycoside With Naxan Salt %: 10 1214 16

35. Summary 0.5% Surfactant 12.5 14 16 13 12 10 8 5% Surfactant Salt %
5% Surfactant
0.5% Surfactant
Decane
Decane w/ Sec-butanol
Dodecane
Dodecane w/ Hexyl Glycoside
Dodecane w/ Naxan
Decane w/ Hexyl Glycoside
Decane w/ Naxan
Octane
Octane w/ Hexyl Glycoside
Octane w/ Naxan
Hexane
Hexane w/ Hexyl Glycoside
Hexane w/ Naxan
Salt %
12.5
Unclear 14 16 13 12 10 8

36. IFT
Didn’t get 14 to 20% salt drop diameters because bubble kept breaking into micro bubbles --- No reading
Would expect similar trend to 0.5% surf graph
Spinning_Drop_Tensiometer

37. Color control using sec-butanol and salt
Light Scattering
Miniemulsions
Are generally blue-white
Have a particle size intermediate between Macro and Micro emulsions
Color control using sec-butanol and salt
Blue
Green
Clear
Yellow
Sources of error
Human
Equipment
A Red Object
An object will appear red when it absorbs all wavelengths of visible light except for red....
red light is scattered to our eye, so the object looks red
Error
Did go back and re-do ill-trialed samples
Inaccuracy of tools (pipettes and scales)

38. What I’ve learned What I hope to achieve
Conclusion
What I’ve learned What I hope to achieve

39. What I’ve learned What I hope to achieve
Conclusion
What I’ve learned What I hope to achieve

40. What I’ve learned What I hope to achieve
Conclusion
What I’ve learned What I hope to achieve

41. What I’ve learned What I hope to achieve
Conclusion
What I’ve learned What I hope to achieve

42. With a very special thank you to Ajay Raj and Kahnery Mai

43. References
1. Applied Surfactant Science and Technology. Norman: Surfactant Associates, Print. Short Course Lab Sessions