Key improvements obtained by incorporating nanoparticles into a lab-scale SAGD process configuration. The bar plots show enhanced oil recovery, reduced viscosity, and increased asphaltene adsorption ...

Oxidative aging of asphalt is the primary cause of asphalt hardening in pavements, thus contributing to various forms of pavement cracking. The major identifiable functional groups formed on oxid...

This study investigates the synergistic influence of 15 wt% hydrochloric acid (HCl) and brines of varying salinity on asphaltene molecular structure, interfacial properties, and emulsion stability in ...

Heteroaromatic species are commonly found in complex gaseous mixtures, from tobacco smoke to petroleum and asphaltene combustion products. At high temperatures,

Market Snapshot of the United States Asphaltene Inhibitors Market Market size (2024): Estimated at $1.2 billion, driven by rising upstream exploration and production activities.

Explore the untapped potential of asphaltene, an undesired byproduct of petroleum processing. Conventional disposal methods (burning, landfilling) pose environmental challenges. Discover how supercritical ethanol technology offers a scalable solution, transforming asphaltenes into innovative polymer additives with enhanced gas barrier and anti-aging properties, thereby enabling the valorization of asphaltene and mitigating environmental impact. Abstract Asphaltene is often regarded as an undesirable by-product of petroleum processing, possesses vast reserves with little market value. The typical routes of consuming asphaltene, namely burning and landfilling, pose significant environmental challenges. In this study, low-value asphaltene is converted into high-value ethylated carbon clusters (ECC) using a supercritical ethanol technique. The resulting ECC powder demonstrates promising properties for high density polyethylene (HDPE) composite applications. The effects of incorporating ECC on the mechanical, gas barrier, and anti-aging properties of the composite are investigated. Results show that a 1 wt.% ECC led to a 4.2% and 43.5% increase in tensile strength and elongation at break, a reduction of 45.8% and 30.7% in oxygen and carbon dioxide permeability. Furthermore, ECC exhibits effective UV spectrum absorption and conversion in the wavelength range of 400–600 nm, providing protection against UV spectrum damage to HDPE. The incorporation of ECC not only enhances the properties of polymer composites but also sequesters carbon within the polymer matrix, enabling the valorization of asphaltene while mitigating environmental impact.