Lignins: Renewable surface-active polymers

COLL 11

Orlando J. Rojas, ojrojas@ncsu.edu, Forest Biomaterials Science and Engineering, North Carolina State University, Campus Box 8005, Raleigh, NC 27695-8005, Johnny Bullon, Universidad de Los Andes, Lab. LMSSI, Mérida, Venezuela, F. Ysambertt, ysamb@luz.ve, Lab. Petroqumica y Surfactantes, Departamento de Qumica, Mdulo 2. Universidad de Zulia, Apartado 526, Maracaibo, Venezuela, and Jean L. Salager, salager@ula.ve, Lab. FIRP, Facultad de Ingenieria, Universidad de los Andes, Merida, 5101, Venezuela.
We report on the use of lignins as polymeric amphiphiles for the stabilization of emulsions. Lignins' phase behavior in oil/water systems is presented and explained in terms of their molecular affinities under the framework of the Surfactant Affinity Difference (SAD). Emulsions with various oils (including crude oils) were formulated and their properties were rationalized in terms of the phase behavior of the SOW system. Lignin affinities were correlated as a function of the nature of the molecule and other formulation variables, including EACN, pH, and salinity of the aqueous phase. It is concluded that lignins are effective emulsion stabilizer; the resulting emulsions behave according to the SAD theory and lignin-based emulsions can be tailored to meet specific emulsion property demands.
 

Surfactants from Renewable Resources
9:00 AM-12:20 PM, Sunday, April 6, 2008 Morial Convention Center -- Rm. 225, Oral

Division of Colloid & Surface Chemistry

The 235th ACS National Meeting, New Orleans, LA, April 6-10, 2008