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Rate of Bitumen Film Transfer from a Quartz Surface to an Air Bubble as Observed by Optical Microscopy
Author(s) -
Lelinski Dariusz,
Drelich Jaroslaw,
Miller Jan D.,
Hupka Jan
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
the canadian journal of chemical engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.404
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1939-019X
pISSN - 0008-4034
DOI - 10.1002/cjce.5450820418
Subject(s) - asphalt , bubble , quartz , layer (electronics) , aqueous solution , materials science , mineralogy , analytical chemistry (journal) , thin film , activation energy , optical microscope , air bubble , surface energy , chemical engineering , composite material , chemistry , nanotechnology , chromatography , organic chemistry , scanning electron microscope , mechanics , physics , engineering
The rate of bitumen transfer from a bitumen‐coated quartz plate to a gas bubble surface in aqueous alkaline solutions was recorded photographically. During bitumen spreading, a bulk layer followed the formation of thin bitumen films (precursor films). The bulk layer spread at the bubble surface with a velocity of about one order of magnitude less than the velocity of the precursor film. The energy of activation for spreading of the bulk layer varied from about 66 to 123 kJ/mol depending on the stage of bitumen spreading but remained constant at about 105 kJ/mol for the precursor film. Results are discussed with respect to fundamental issues associated with flotation recovery of heavy oils.