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Effect of Alkyl Tail Length of Alpha Olefin Sulfonates on Foam Properties

  • Long Bai , Yong Wang , Xiaochen Liu , Yawen Zhou and Jinping Niu
Published/Copyright: November 16, 2018
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Abstract

The effect of alkyl tail length on the foam properties of alpha olefin sulfonates (AOS) in aqueous solutions at various concentrations was investigated by measurements of the foamability, foam stability and bubble size and numbers, obtained from conductivity and image analyses techniques based on FoamScan foam analyzer. It was found that foamability and foam stability of Cn AOS (n = 14–16, 16–18, 20–24) first increase and then decrease with increase in the carbon chain length, showing an optimum for a length of n = 16–18. The foamability and foam stability of AOS increase with increasing of surfactant concentration. This is due to the fact that the adsorbed quantity of surfactant molecules increases at the air/water interface with the increase of concentration. In addition, it was found that the bubble size produced by C16–18 AOS is smaller than that of C14–16 AOS.

Kurzfassung

Der Einfluss der Alkylkettenlänge auf die Schaumeigenschaften unterschiedlich konzentrierter wässriger Lösungen von α-Olefinsulfonaten (AOS) wurde anhand der Schäumbarkeit, Schaumstabilität und der Blasengröße und -zahlen untersucht. Diese Größen wurden mittels Leitfähigkeits- und Bildanalyseverfahren eines FoamScan-Schaumanalysators bestimmt. Es wurde gefunden, dass die Schaumbildungsfähigkeit und die Schaumstabilität von Cn AOS (n = 14–16, 16–18, 20–24) zuerst ansteigen und dann mit Zunahme der Kohlenstoffkettenlänge abnehmen, die optimale Länge liegt bei n = 16–18. Die Schäumbarkeit und Schaumstabilität von AOS nehmen mit zunehmender Tensidkonzentration zu. Dies liegt daran, dass die adsorbierte Menge an Tensidmolekülen an der Luft/Wasser-Grenzfläche mit steigender Konzentration zunimmt. Zusätzlich wurde gefunden, dass die Blasengröße, die durch C16–18 AOS erzeugt wird, kleiner ist als die von C14–16 AOS.


*Correspondence address, Dr. Jinping Niu, China Research Institute of Daily Chemical Industry, 34 # Wenyuan Str., Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi Province, P.R. China, Tel.: 0086-351-4192878, E-Mail:

Long Bai is a postgraduate student at the China Research Institute of the Daily Chemical Industry. His main research field is the synthesis and application of gemini surfactants. Address: China Research Institute of Daily Chemical Industry, 34 Wenyuan Street, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, 030001 P.R. China. E-Mail:

Yong Wang is a master at the China Research Institute of the Daily Chemical Industry, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, P.R. China. His main research field is the properties and applications of olefin sulfonates. Address: China Research Institute of Daily Chemical Industry, 34 Wenyuan Street, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, 030001 P.R. China. E-Mail: .

Xiaochen Liu is an engineer at the China Research Institute of the Daily Chemical Industry. His research interests is the synthesis and application of novel sulfonate surfactants for EOR. China Research Institute of Daily Chemical Industry, 34 Wenyuan Street, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, 030001 P.R. China. E-Mail: .

Yawen Zhou received a M. S. in applied chemistry from the China Research Institute of Daily Chemical Industry. She is an associate professor with a research field of interest in synthesis and properties of surfactants. Institute of Food and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 100048, P.R. China. E-Mail: .

Jinping Niu was born in 1966. Her research interests are the sulfonation/sulfation of organic materials and application of surfactants for EOR. Address: China Research Institute of Daily Chemical Industry, 34 Wenyuan Street, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, 030001 P.R. China. Tel.: 0086-351-4192878. E-Mail: .


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Received: 2017-07-06
Accepted: 2017-11-03
Published Online: 2018-11-16
Published in Print: 2018-11-16

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