Iron oxide nanoparticles for rapid adsorption and enhanced catalytic oxidation of thermally cracked asphaltenes

Abstract

Thermally cracked asphaltenes from Athabasca vacuum residue produced at four different process severities were investigated for adsorption and subsequent catalytic oxidation. Fe3O4 nanoparticles were used for the removal of these four different thermally cracked asphaltenes from toluene solutions by a batch-adsorption technique followed by subsequent catalytic oxidation. Asphaltene adsorption kinetics and isotherms are presented. Further, the catalytic effect of nanoparticles on asphaltene oxidation has been addressed. Adsorption was rapid as equilibrium was achieved within 10min. The equilibrium adsorption data fit well to the Langmuir model. It was found that the adsorption rate, affinity and capacity depend on the molecular weight (MW) of the asphaltenes. Adsorption rate and capacity were highest for the lower MW molecules while adsorption affinity was strongest for the larger MW molecules. In addition, in the absence of nanoparticles, the four thermally cracked asphaltenes oxidized differently. However, when adsorbed onto Fe3O4 nanoparticles their oxidation behavior became similar, showing the enhanced catalytic effect of nanoparticles.