Thermodynamics of micelle formation of the counterion coupled gemini surfactant Bis(4-(2-dodecyl)benzenesulfonate)-Jeffamine salt and its dynamic adsorption on sandstone.

A novel counterion-coupled gemini (cocogem) surfactant, DBSJ, was synthetized via the 2:1 coupling reaction between 4-(2-dodecyl)benzenesulfonic acid (Lutensit A-LBS) and polypropyleneglycol-bis(2-aminopropyl) ether (Jeffamine D230). The surfactant had a polydispersity index of Mw/Mn = 1.04, as determined by electrospray-ionization mass spectrometry. The micellar properties of DBSJ in water were investigated in the temperature range 283-348 K by conductometry and titration microcalorimetry. The critical micelle concentration (cmc) of the cocogem was found to be more than 1 order of magnitude less than that of monomeric sodium 4-(2-dodecyl)benzenesulfonate (SDBS). The mean degree of dissociation in the temperature range studied proved to be alpha = 0.39. The calorimetric enthalpies of micelle formation agreed well with the enthalpies calculated via the van't Hoff relation. The cmc versus T curve passes through a minimum just below room temperature, after which the micelle formation changes from endothermic to exothermic. The Gibbs free energy of micelle formation was nearly constant as the temperature was increased, due to enthalpy/entropy compensation. The isotherm for DBSJ adsorption from aqueous solution onto sandstone was determined by continuous flow frontal analysis solid/liquid chromatography at 298 K and 60 bar. The adsorption of DBSJ on sandstone followed an S-type isotherm. Surface aggregation occurred over an extended range of concentration. Surface saturation was reached at a solution concentration more than 1 order of magnitude less than for monomeric SDBS. This finding is a point of concern in the chemical flooding of oil reservoir rocks to enhance oil recovery.