Interfacial and Demulsification Properties of Janus Type Magnetic Nanoparticles

Abstract

Water-in-oil emulsions are formed during crude oil production. Some natural surfactants (asphaltenes) aggregates are known to form viscoelastic film preventing coalescence of emulsified water droplets. The present research work investigates the interfacial properties and demulsifying capacity of Janus type magnetic nanoparticles. poly (methylmethacrylate-acrylicacid-divinylbenzene) iron oxide Janus nanoparticles with Interfacially active P(MMA-AA-DVB) block copolymer and iron oxide (magnetic) shows excellent interfacial and magnetic properties. Experiments performed at the oil-water interface indicates that Janus particles adsorb at the oil - water interface and separate the emulsified water from the external magnetic field. The external magnetic play important role demulsification of magnetically tagged emulsified water droplets, producing smaller volumes of sludge and decrease the hydrocarbon loss to waste aqueous phase. The chemical bonding of interfacially active P(MMA-AA-DVB) grafted with magnetic nanoparticles and the magnetic property of P(MMA-AA-DVB)/Fe3O4 allowed the used Janus nanoparticles to be readily recycled by magnetic separation and regenerated by solvent washing.

Review on Application of Nanotechnology for Asphaltene Adsorption, Crude Oil Demulsification, and Produced Water Treatment

“…109 Ali and coworkers designed interfacially active and magnetically responsive poly(methylmethacrylate-acrylicacid-divinylbenzene) (P(MMA-AA-DVB)/Fe 3 O 4 magnetic composite NPs with raspberry-like structures. They observed that P(MMA-AA-DVB)/Fe 3 O 4 NPs demonstrated effective demulsification efficiency for originally stable W/O emulsions at 60 °C after 1 h. 60,110 Furthermore, it was shown that the emulsion breaking started after 10 min and was enhanced with an increase in temperature. The maximum effect was reached after 60 min and resulted in full separation of the water phase.…”

“…Magnetic NPs functionalized with various interfacially active groups were used in several investigations for demulsification of crude oil emulsions. ,,− These magnetic NPs were also responsive to external magnetic force and can assist in removing water from emulsions. In research by Peng et al, ethyl-cellulose-grafted Fe 3 O 4 (M-EC) NPs were prepared and tested for water separation from a naphtha-diluted bitumen emulsion.…”