Title: Functionalized Al2O3 Nanoparticles from Superhydrophobic Derived Surfaces to Enhanced Oil Recovery Applications

Biography:

 She is the senior lecturer at Swansea University.

Abstract

The use of various low cost and non-hazardous hydrocarbon materials in order to tune the surface properties of aluminium oxide nanoparticles (NPs) from superhydrophilic to superhydrophobic is reported. The desired wettability is achieved by combining the surface roughness of nanoparticle-derived films and low/high surface energy properties of the highly branched and linear alkyl chains coating the NPs. It is known that branched HC chain architectures promote efficient packing at the surface of aqueous solutions, allowing densely packed disordered films to promote low surface tensions (energies). These nontoxic and cheap hydrocarbon-based NPs have much potential for new coating applications on a variety of substrates, and as a replacement for costly, hazardous fluorocarbons. The role of NPs hydrophobicity on their dynamic interfacial behaviour at the oil-water interface and their ability to form stable emulsions is also explored. The superhydrophobic NPs are able to reduce the interfacial tension of various oils-water by behaving as surfactants and may be used in various potential applications from domestic products to oil industry.