4.6 Article

Lignosulfonate-Based Ionic Liquids as Asphaltene Dispersants

Journal

MOLECULES
Volume 28, Issue 8, Pages -

Publisher

MDPI
DOI: 10.3390/molecules28083390

Keywords

ionic liquids; lignosulfonate; piperidinium; asphaltene; dispersant

Ask authors/readers for more resources

This study aimed to synthesize novel lignosulfonate-based ionic liquids (ILs) for asphaltene dispersion. The synthesized ILs showed high thermal stability and dispersion indices. The results indicate that these ILs have great potential for the cost-effective refining process in the oil and gas sector.
Asphaltenes are recognized as being troublesome from upstream to downstream in the oil industry due to their tendency to precipitate and self-associate. Their extraction from asphaltenic crude oil for a cost-effective refining process is a crucial and critical challenge in the oil and gas sector. Lignosulfonate (LS), as a by-product of the wood pulping process in the papermaking industry, is a highly available and underutilized feedstock. This study aimed to synthesize novel LS-based ionic liquids (ILs) by reacting lignosulfonate acid sodium salt [Na](2)[LS] with different alkyl chains of piperidinium chloride for asphaltene dispersion. The synthesized ILs, 1-hexyl-1-methyl-piperidinium lignosulfonate [C(6)C(1)Pip](2)[LS], 1-octyl-1-methyl-piperidinium lignosulfonate [C(8)C(1)Pip](2)[LS], 1-dodecyl-1-methyl-piperidinium lignosulfonate [C(12)C(1)Pip](2)[LS] and 1-hexadecyl-1-methyl-piperidinium lignosulfonate [C(16)C(1)Pip](2)[LS] were characterized using FTIR-ATR and H-1 NMR for functional groups and structural confirmation. The ILs depicted high thermal stability because of the presence of a long side alkyl chain and piperidinium cation following thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Asphaltene dispersion indices (%) of ILs were tested by varying contact time, temperature and ILs concentration. The obtained indices were high for all ILs, with a dispersion index of more than 91.2% [C(16)C(1)Pip](2)[LS], representing the highest dispersion at 50,000 ppm. It was able to lower asphaltene particle size diameter from 51 nm to 11 nm. The kinetic data of [C(16)C(1)Pip](2)[LS] were consistent with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The dispersion index (%), asphaltene particle growth and the kinetic model agreed with the molecular modeling studies of the HOMO-LUMO energy of IL holds.

Authors

I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.

Reviews

Primary Rating

4.6
Not enough ratings

Secondary Ratings

Novelty
-
Significance
-
Scientific rigor
-
Rate this paper

Recommended

No Data Available
No Data Available