Emulsion Formation using Surfactants and Nanoparticles under Shear*

In enhanced oil recovery (EOR) surfactant solutions are pumped into a reservoir to mobilize trapped oil [1]. Recently, the potential of Janus nanoparticles has also been studied for use in EOR [2]. Here, the formation of emulsions using dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) simulations and the effects of shear on oil mobilization are studied. Oil is represented by hexadecane [3] that is adsorbed on the wall of a microcavity in an aqueous environment. The system is then sheared in a Couette flow simulation. Without surfactant, the oil cannot be mobilized, but with the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate surfactants the oil detaches from the solid surface to create oil-in-water emulsion. Increasing the surfactant concentration leads to a reduction of the required shear rate, as does a hydrophilic solid wall. The formation of Pickering emulsions by using Janus nanoparticles is also investigated, as are the synergetic effects of Janus particles and surfactants.

REFERENCES

1. Green DW, Willhite GP, Enhanced oil recovery. Vol. 6. 1998: Society of Petroleum Engineers Richardson, TX.

2. Negin C, Ali S, Xie Q, Petroleum, 2016. 2(4): p. 324-333.

3. Vu T., Papavassiliou DV, J. Chem. Phys., 2018. 148(20): Art. 204704