In situ formation of reverse polymeric micelles in liquid alkanes to lodge alcohol micro-droplets

Abstract

An amphiphilic comb-like polymer has been synthesized in a liquid alkane medium, which involves the alkylation of glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) by 1-hexadecylamine (HDA) or 1-octadecylamine (ODA) and the in situ polymerization of the resulting alkyl methacrylate monomer. The resulting macromolecules possess a hydrophilic backbone with thickly anchored –OH and NH groups and long aliphatic side chains extending into the alkane medium, and hence undergo self-assembly in the non-polar medium. The resulting polymeric micellar solution displays an enhanced capability to dissolve methanol or ethanol over those employing low molecular weight surfactants, such as Span® 80, according to a stability study of the resulting microemulsions. The ethanol content can be raised from the contemporary level of 15% to 23% for the same loading (by weight) of emulsifier. By the ASTM D240-09 method, the in-house formulated model diesohol (diesel/ethanol/emulsifier = 75/20/5) exhibits only a minute decline in calorific value, as compared with pristine diesel fuel.