STUDIES ON SOME SURFACE ACTIVE AGENTS AS DEMULSIFIERS FOR OIL WATER EMULSIONS

Abstract

Present investigation deals with synthesis and characterization of some surfactants to be used for breaking water-in-oil emulsions. In this respect two different series of demulsifiers were prepared. The first series comprises ethylene oxide - propylene oxide block copolymers having different hydrophil - lipophil balance obtained by varying the ratios of ethylene oxide to propylene oxide and varying the chain length of the polyethylene glycol. The second series was ethoxylated bisphenoi-A. A new spectroscopic method for determining the distribution of the demulsifier in both oil and aqueous phases was introduced. The effect of the structure on the demulsification performance was investigated. Several other factors affecting the demulsification capability were also investigated such as the demulsifier molecular weight, type of solvent, pH of the emulsion, salinity and temperature .