Abstract
Clay/asphaltene interactions play an important role in the separation of fine particles from petroleum and synthetic liquid hydrocarbon fuels. Asphaltenes, the polar fraction of hydrocarbon fuels, adsorb on clay minerals such as illite; adsorption is rapid, energetically strong, and mostly irreversible. Adsorbed asphaltenes enhance stability of illite suspensions. Although stability is found even at low surface coverages, the settling rate decreases monotonically with an increase in the adsorption density. The colloidal stability of asphaltenes-coated illite particles in hydrocarbon media is due to a combination of electrostatic and steric repulsive forces.
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