Effect of cosurfactant on solubilization of hydrocarbon oils by pluronic L64 nonionic surfactant solution

Abstract

In this study, effect of cosurfactant on the solubilization rate of n-octane, n-decane and n-dodecane oil was performed by micellar solutions of polymeric nonionic surfactant Pluronic L64(EO13PO30EO 13) at room temperature. It has been found that the solubilization rate of a hydrocarbon oil was enhanced with an increase in both chain length and amount of alcohol added. In case of addition of a short chain alcohol such as 1-butanol, the solubilization rate of a hydrocarbon oil was slightly increased since most of alcohol molecules remained in an aqueous surfactant solution. On the other hand, the addition of a relatively long chain alcohol such as 1-hexanol and 1-octanol produced a big increase in solubilization rate of a hydrocarbon oil mainly due to incorporation of alcohol molecules into micelles and thus producing more flexible micellar packing density. Dynamic interfacial tension measurements showed the same trend found in solubilization rate measurement. Both interfacial tension value at equilibrium and time required to reach equilibrium decreased with an increase in chain length of an alcohol.