Enhancing of asphaltene adsorption onto Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles coated with metal-organic framework Mil-101 (Cr) for the inhibition of asphaltene precipitation

ABSTRACT

In this study, the potential of MOF (Mil-101-Cr)-coated Fe₃O₄ magnetic nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄-MOF MNPs) for asphaltene adsorption was investigated for the first time and the results were compared with magnetic Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄ MNPs). The coprecipitation method was used for the synthesis of both nanoparticles and were verified using x-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). The initial asphaltene concentration, nanoparticles concentration, and temperature were the investigated parameters that influenced the adsorption capacity. Increasing the asphaltene concentration, decreasing the mass of nanoparticles, and reducing the temperature could enhance the maximum asphaltene adsorption capacities of 0.79 for Fe₃O₄ MNPs and 0.98 mg m⁻² for Fe₃O₄-MOF MNPs. Adsorption isotherms tests showed that the Langmuir model was in agreement with the experimental data. In addition, the evaluation of adsorption kinetics demonstrated that the pseudo-second-order Lagergren model predicted the results more precisely. The amount of asphaltene adsorption for Fe₃O₄-MOF MNPs was higher than that for Fe₃O₄ MNPs. These results recommend the application of MOF as an appropriate and effective coating for enhancing asphaltene adsorption.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS:

• Adsorption isotherms
• adsorption kinetics
• asphaltene adsorption
• asphaltene inhibition
• Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles with MOF coating

Abbreviations::

• BET: Brunauer–Emmett–Teller
• FE-SEM: field emission scanning electron microscopy
• FTIR: Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy
• MNPs: magnetic nanoparticles
• MOF: metal organic framework
• XRD: x-ray diffraction

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to the Yasouj University for supporting this research.