Investigating the Performance of Carboxylate-Alumoxane Nanoparticles as a Novel Chemically Functionalized Inhibitor on Asphaltene Precipitation

Abstract In recent years, researchers have attempted to find some practical approaches for asphaltene adsorption and the prevention or postponement of asphaltene precipitation. Among different techniques, nanotechnology has attracted the researchers’ attention to overcome the formation damage resulting from the deposition of asphaltenes. In this study, the application of two types of carboxylate-alumoxane nanoparticles (functionalized boehmite by methoxyacetic acid (BMA) and functionalized pseudo-boehmite by methoxyacetic acid (PBMA)) for asphaltene adsorption and precipitation was investigated. First, the synthesis of two functionalized nanoparticles was performed via the sol–gel method. For the assessment of the adsorption efficiency and adsorption capacity of these nanoparticles toward asphaltene adsorption, the batch adsorption experiments applying ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy were performed. The Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms were studied to describe the interaction between asphaltene molecules and carboxylate-alumoxane nanoparticles. For determining the “onset” point of asphaltene precipitation, the indirect method, which was based on the difference in the optical property of various solutions containing different concentrations of asphaltene, was utilized by applying UV–Vis spectroscopy. The isotherm models indicate that the adsorption of asphaltene on the surface of nanoparticles is better fitted to the Freundlich isotherm model compared with the Langmuir model. In the presence of PBMA (0.1 wt %), the onset point was delayed around 26, 20, and 17% in the asphaltene concentrations of 1000, 3000, and 5000 ppm, respectively, in comparison with their reference synthetic oils. On the other hand, these postponements for BMA nanoparticles (0.1 wt %) were 17%, 9%, and insignificant for the asphaltene concentrations of 1000, 3000, and 5000 ppm, respectively. The results reveal that two functionalized nanoparticles tend to adsorb asphaltene molecules and have a positive impact on the postponement of asphaltene precipitation due to molecular interactions between the surface of carboxylate-alumoxane nanoparticles and asphaltene molecules. However, PBMA nanoparticles exhibited better performance on the asphaltene adsorption and postponement of asphaltene precipitation, which is related to its smaller size, as well as higher surface area, compared with BMA nanoparticles.