Scientists from Penn State have developed a brand new nanoparticle that may stabilize and forestall scaling in a generally used emulsion or liquid combination. This breakthrough might result in extra sustainable and environment friendly oil extraction strategies and be utilized to different programs that deal with water-oil emulsions. The analysis was printed in ACS Utilized Supplies & Interfaces.
The buildup of exhausting mineral deposits in pipes and tools throughout oil extraction may cause vital operational points, security hazards comparable to pipe explosions, and substantial monetary losses. Present descaling strategies, nonetheless, typically have hostile environmental impacts.
We aimed to deal with the problem of calcium carbonate formation, generally known as scaling, in two-phase oil-water programs, handled in quite a few water-based industries, comparable to oil and fuel sectors.
Amir Sheikhi, Affiliate Professor and Research Corresponding Writer, Division of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State College
Sheikhi, the Dorothy Foehr Huck and J. Lloyd Huck Early Profession Chair in Biomaterials and Regenerative Engineering, explains that in industries like oil and fuel, prescription drugs, cosmetics, and meals, water typically coexists with an immiscible part, comparable to oil or an natural solvent, forming a two-phase system. Scaling on this system can result in critical operational and security hazards, comparable to clogged pipelines and broken tools.
“Present anti-scaling options both have hostile environmental impacts or are restricted to working solely in single-phase aqueous media,” Sheikhi stated.
Initially, Sheikhi and his group developed anionic bushy cellulose nanocrystals (AHCNC), a cellulose-based nanoparticle that would forestall scale formation however couldn’t stabilize water-in-oil emulsions.
They then superior their analysis by creating a brand new class of biobased, multifunctional nanoparticles referred to as amphiphilic bushy cellulose nanocrystals (AmHCNC). These nanoparticles possess distinctive chemical and structural properties that not solely forestall scale buildup but in addition stabilize water-in-oil emulsions, generally utilized in oil extraction processes.
Our innovation lies within the nanoengineering of a kind of nanoparticle AmHCNC that concurrently prevents scaling and stabilizes water-in-oil emulsions through the Pickering mechanism, a mixture that has not been achieved.
Amir Sheikhi, Affiliate Professor and Research Corresponding Writer, Division of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State College
Sheikhi defined that the Pickering mechanism makes use of small strong particles, comparable to nanoparticles, to stabilize the interface between two immiscible liquids.
These anti-scaling particles are bio-based, environmentally protected, and cost-effective, providing a sustainable answer to the longstanding industrial downside of scaling.
Amir Sheikhi, Affiliate Professor and Research Corresponding Writer, Division of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State College
The researchers are actually in search of collaborators to check the know-how in real-world purposes, comparable to enhanced oil restoration. Additionally they plan to discover its potential makes use of in different industries, together with meals and cosmetics.
“This know-how could present new alternatives for sustainable and safer industrial practices,” stated Sheikhi, who additionally has a courtesy appointment with the Division of Biomedical Engineering within the School of Engineering, the Division of Chemistry within the Eberly School of Science, and The Division of Neurosurgery within the School of Drugs.
Journal Reference:
Koshani, R., et al. (2024) Antiscaling Pickering Emulsions Enabled by Amphiphilic Bushy Cellulose Nanocrystals. ACS Utilized Supplies & Interfaces. doi.org/10.1021/acsami.4c03451.
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