Investigation on interfacial/surface properties of bio-based surfactant N-aliphatic amide-N,N-diethoxypropylsulfonate sodium as an oil displacement agent regenerated from waste cooking oil

Abstract

To regenerate the non-edible waste cooking oil and significantly reduce the negative effect on human being and the environment, a bio-based nonionic-anionic amphoteric sulfonate type surfactant with excellent interfacial and surface properties was synthesized. The interfacial tensions between crude oil and water can reach up to an ultralow value as 0.0040mN·m−1 without additives. With dynamic light scattering and surface tension, micelles formed by N-aliphatic amide-N,N-diethoxypropylsulfonate bio-based surfactant were studied. This work also systematically investigated the surface activity, adsorption behavior, and thermodynamic parameters (ΔGm0, ΔGads0, ΔHm0, ΔSm0, ΔHmA, ΔCp,m0) of micellization. According to the experimental results, it can be seen that the bio-based surfactant has an excellent surface activity, besides, the micelle formation is entropy and enthalpy co-driven at 25–45°C. Dynamic light scattering also illustrated the micelle formation. Through this research work, we expect to gain some insights into the phase behaviors of this bio-based surfactant and broaden its great potential oilfield application in enhanced oil recovery.