The 4th International Symposium on Mine Safety Science and Engineering (ISMSSE2018)

206 / 2018-07-03 22:16:26

Study on the mechanism of the complex micellar system of SDS/Triton X-100 solubilization of methane

surfactant, SDS/Triton X-100, solubilization, methane, micelle

Gas of Coal Mine & Coal and Gas Outburst > Gas of Coal mine

Surfactant solutions are widely used in solubilizing methane, there is a lack of research on the optimum ratio of surfactant solution to solubilize methane and the mechanism of it. In this study, surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and octylphenol ethoxylate OPE9 (Triton X-100) were selected to explain the mechanism of surfactant solution to solubilize methane from the micro aspect. The complex solution of SDS and Triton X-100 is better than single SDS solution for the solubilization of methane because there are more micelles with hydrophobic cores generated in the mixed solution than the single SDS solution. When the concentration ratio of SDS and Triton X-100 is 1:4, the critical micelle concentration of mixed solution is the lowest, the interaction between SDS and Triton X-100 in the mixed system is the strongest, the absolute value of Gibbs free energy has the maximum and the value of the viscosity is the maximum, which mean that the solution is most likely to generate micelles with hydrophobic environment and these micelles are favorable for the solubilization of methane. Meanwhile, the uniformity of micelles in solution is better, the particle size of micelles is smaller and the structure of micelles is more compact than others. Methane stays longer in the micelle core of this structure, which can facilitate the solubilization of methane in the solution. So the optimum ratio to solubilize methane for the mixed solution of SDS and Triton X-100 is 1:4.