Phase Behaviour of Different Ethoxylate Surfactants

Basic Property of Surfactants

Surfactant is a chemical component applied to increase wetness and decrease surface tension. Surfactants are both water and oil soluble. They are classified into three main types such as Ionic, non-ionic and cationic surfactants and each type bear unique properties. Surfactants are formed by combining different chemicals with alcohol by a process called ethoxylation. In accordance with industrial usage manufacturers produce and supply different types of surfactant. 

Phase Behaviour of Surfactants

Phase behaviour is the study or tool to guess the capacity of fluids under different stages of application. As far as surfactants are concerned, phase behaviour of every form of surfactant is understood in terms of the properties they reveal when they are applied for industrial purpose. This study is applied mainly in engineering industries where hydrocarbon fluids are applied for production operations such as in oil and gas or petroleum industry. Phase behaviour of surfactants is tested in terms of its compatibility with the material in which it is applied. Based on that surfactant are selected.

Ethoxylation and Formation of Different Surfactants

It is a technology with which efficient surfactant types of manufactured. Some of the highly reliable and efficient surfactants produced through ethoxylation are fatty alcohols, fatty amines, and many more. However, ethoxylates are non-ionic surfactants and those that are formed by ethoxylation with alcohol applied widely in domestic products. Fatty Alcohol ethoxylate surfactants are applicable as emulsifying and cleansing agent as they have the property to remove dirt from the surface; hence, they are used in the production of household cleaning agents.

Alkyl Phenol and Fatty Amine Ethoxylates- A multi-purpose surfactant

Suitable for both hard and smooth surfaces, Alkyl phenol ethoxylate and fatty amine ethoxylates are used as surface cleaner in industries. It also acts as emulsifier, stabilizing and dispersing agent. These multiple properties make it applicable in production of agricultural chemicals, emulsion manufacturing, paints, processing of metal surface, paper and textile industries. Fatty Amine Ethoxylates is a good emulsifier and is applied as oil field chemical and apart from that it is widely used for petroleum extraction, leather processing and mining industries

Lauryl Alcohol –Non-Toxic Behaviour

Lauryl alcohol ethoxylate is a non-toxic surfactant widely applied for its emulsifying and dispersing property. Electroplating and rubber industries find its application very useful. It has wonderful stain removing property and safe to use; hence, it is applied in manual dish wash detergents. Stearyl amine ethoxylate is one of the fatty amines. However, when compared to surfactants that are applied in oil field and petro chemical industries, these ethoxylate varieties possess relatively less phase behaviour that is suitable for oil industry.

Conclusion

Surfactants widely used in oil fields are selected based on their phase behaviour. Since, they are applied for a range of operations starting from drilling, extraction, processing to refining. Surfactants keep the materials safe from chemical influence. However, for large scale industrial usage buying high quality surfactants is more important to obtain fine results.

This article has been written by Govind Patel.