PETR 98 |
| Biosurfactants formed by fermentation of renewable resources are “environmentally friendly” compounds that can form interesting nanoaggregate structures which can act as carriers as well as reactors for hydrocarbon based compounds, particularly when they are hydrophobically modified. Colloidal and interfacial properties, such as aggregation, surface tension reduction and adsorption of natural sophorolipid surfactants, were investigated in this work to determine the role of alkyl moieties in formation of nanodomains. Sophorolipid mixtures were produced by the yeast Candida bombicola when cultured on glucose and oleic acid and chemically modified to form sophorolipid alkyl esters by reaction with sodium alkoxides. Interestingly, these surfactants were found to adsorb selectively on certain substrates such as alumina but only weakly on others such as silica. We have also explored unique interfacial and colloidal properties of polysaccharides that are hydrophobically modified. Modified interfacial and colloidal environments are indeed important in controlling reactions in heterogeneous systems. Thus, solloidal (surface aggregate) structures formed by these compounds on solid substrates make them attractive candidates for use in petroleum processes such as enhanced oil recovery as well as for remediation techniques such as soil remediation and bioremediation. |
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Symposium on Clean Fuels from Biomass
1:30 PM-5:15 PM, Tuesday, 12 September 2006 Palace -- Twin Peaks North, Oral
Division of Petroleum Chemistry |