Adsorption dynamics of heavy oil droplets on silica: Effect of asphaltene anionic carboxylic.

Understanding the adsorption behavior of asphaltene molecules on the surfaces of oil reservoir solids is essential for optimizing oil recovery processes. This study employed molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the adsorption behavior of oil droplets composed of charged and neutral asphaltenes on silica surfaces. The results revealed that oil droplet containing anionic asphaltene molecules were more likely to adsorb onto silica surfaces and exhibited greater resistance to detachment compared to oil droplet containing neutral asphaltene molecules. Specifically, anionic asphaltene molecules tended to accumulate at the oil-water-silica interface, whereas neutral asphaltene molecules primarily adsorbed near the oil-water interface. These findings provide valuable insights into the differing adsorption dynamics of charged and neutral asphaltene molecules on silica surfaces.