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Adsorption of polyoxyethylenic surfactants on quartz, kaolin, and dolomite: A correlation between surfactant structure and solid surface nature

Journal Article · · Journal of Colloid and Interface Science
; ;  [1]
  1. Univ. Nacional de Educacion a Distancia (UNED), Madrid (Spain)

Adsorption of a surfactant at a liquid-solid interface makes up the basis of many technological processes such as detergency, flotation, water treatment, and enhanced oil recovery. The influence of variables such as adsorption temperature, polar chain length, and nature of functional groups on the adsorption, from aqueous solutions, of various surfactants (TX-114, TX-100, TX-165, TX-305, NP1P4E, NP4P1E, NP4S, NP10S, and NP25S) has been investigated. Several nonporous solids, including various samples of quartz, kaolin, and dolomite, were studied. Conformational changes of adsorbed surfactant molecules on one quartz, when the oxyethylenic length of Tritons increases, have been detected. For all the other solid samples the surface is not completely covered by Tritons. On quartz, the surfactants are adsorbed by hydrogen bonds between the surfactant`s ether groups and the silanol groups of the solid surface. These hydroxyl groups must be free and sufficiently separated from other hydroxyls of the solid surface. When the number of propoxy groups increases (from NP1P4E to NP4P1E) the adsorbed amount of surfactant on the solid studied decreases. Anionic surfactants are adsorbed on quartz in lower amounts than the corresponding nonionic surfactants. However, the adsorbed amounts of Tritons and sulfated Tritons on kaolin are similar, probably due to the positive charges on the edges of this material.

OSTI ID:
367907
Journal Information:
Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, Journal Name: Journal of Colloid and Interface Science Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 181; ISSN 0021-9797; ISSN JCISA5
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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