PEPTIZATION STUDIES OF ASPHALTENE AND SOLUBILITY PARAMETER SPECTRA

Asphaltene particles are dispersed in gas oil (saturates and aromatics) with resins as peptizing agents in the asphalt system. The interaction between resin and asphaltene micelles is not well understood. In the present study, aromatic hydrocarbons are proved to be a good dispersed medium for peptization tests by the solubility parameter approach. The partial precipitation of asphaltene in a fixed amount of aromatic hydrocarbon system (such as toluene), with gradual additions of paraffinic hydrocarbon (such as pentane), in the presence of various surfactants has been studied. These surfactants affect the asphaltene precipitation, either by acceleration or by retardation, depending on the structural types and quantities of the surfactants. We have found that the nature of resin serves as a good peptizing agent (interfacial agent) since the polar fractions of resin also contain surfactants (amphiphiles). Due to this peptizing function, resins can be applied to enhance oil recovery or lengthen paving asphalt life.