Surface activity and thermodynamic properties of water-soluble polyester surfactants based on 1,3-dicarboxymethoxybenzene used for enhanced oil recovery

Abstract

The surface activity and thermodynamic properties for eight low molecular weight nonionic co-polyester (PE) surfactants have been investigated. Surface and interfacial tensions (IFT) of surfactants in aqueous solutions were measured using the spinning drop technique. From these measurements, the critical micelle concentration (CMC), the surface pressure at CMC (YCMC), the maximum surface concentration (Γmax), the minimum area/molecule at the aqueous solution/air interface (Amin), the effectiveness of surface tension reduction (ΠCMC), the alkane carbon number (nmin) and the IFT at nmin (Ymin) were determined. The thermodynamic parameters of micellization (ΔGmic, ΔHmic and ΔSmic) and of adsorption (ΔGad, ΔHad and ΔSad) for these polymeric surfactants were also calculated. Structural effects on micellization and adsorption are discussed in terms of these parameters. The results show that the ΔGad values were more negative than ΔGmic values for these compounds, so that they favored adsorption before the micellization process. They exhibited IFT in the order of 10−3 to 10−4 mN/m against the thin alkane carbon number range 6–9. This range seemed to be prefered for enhanced oil recovery. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.