Effect of temperature on morphologies of evaporation-triggered asphaltene nanoaggregates.
Langmuir
; 30(3): 800-4, 2014 Jan 28.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-24386993
ABSTRACT
We use atomic force microscopy to observe the structural changes in petroleum-asphaltene aggregates in air as a function of temperature. The aggregates are obtained by evaporating a toluene solution containing asphaltene. Increase in temperature leads to transition from self-assembled fractal structures to substantially larger mobile "liquid-like" domains that show distinct tendencies of substrate repulsion and self-coalescence. This new aggregation dynamics of asphaltene can be explained by temperature-induced transition of asphaltene from pure amorphous to liquid crystalline phase. Observation of this new phenomenon for asphaltene will have wide implications for asphaltene handling and separation.
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Base de datos:
MEDLINE
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En
Revista:
Langmuir
Asunto de la revista:
QUIMICA
Año:
2014
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Canadá