Plasma synthesis of Ti–O and carbon nanoparticles and their modification with an anionic surfactant to obtain stable dispersions

Abstract

Mixtures of nanoparticles and surfactants are attracting researchers’ interest from around the world for the development of chemically enhanced oil recovery. Nanoparticles modified with surfactants are able to adsorb at the oil–water interface reducing the interfacial tension or adsorb at the reservoir rock surface changing its wettability from oil-wet to water-wet. This change leads to an oil recovery increase. Therefore, in this work, we obtained Ti–O Magneli phases and carbon nanoparticles via the plasma dynamic method and in an electric arc, respectively. Subsequently, these nanoparticles were modified with an anionic surfactant and characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The stability and properties of dispersions were studied by tensiometry and dynamic and electrophoretic light scattering methods. It was shown that Ti–O Magneli phases (10–180 nm) and carbon (60–80 nm) nanoparticles modified in sodium dodecyl sulfate solutions formed stable dispersions in water. Furthermore, Ti–O nanoparticles and modified carbon nanoparticles effectively reduced the interfacial tension at the n-hexane/water interface.