Optimization of Interfacial Material Isolation in Water-Oil Emulsions and Characterization by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR): A Centrifugation Method Approach
Name: MARCOS HENRIQUE OLIVEIRA PETRONI
Publication date: 03/03/2026
Examining board:
Name |
Role |
|---|---|
| JAIR CARLOS CHECON DE FREITAS | Examinador Interno |
| LINDAMARA MARIA DE SOUZA | Coorientador |
| REINHOLZ BOONE CORONA | Examinador Externo |
| ROGÉRIO MESQUITA DE CARVALHO | Examinador Externo |
| WANDERSON ROMÃO | Presidente |
Summary: The formation of stable water-in-oil emulsions during petroleum production remains a major challenge for crude oil processing and phase separation. In this work, a protocol for the extraction and isolation of interfacial material (IM) from highly stable emulsions of medium crude oils was optimized based on centrifugation followed by Dean–Stark distillation, using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) as the main analytical response, combined with principal component analysis and semi-quantitative spectral treatment. Initially, the oils and emulsions were characterized in terms of their physicochemical properties and stability, allowing the selection of the most persistent system for the optimization step. The effects of the isolation parameters on the composition of the recovered material were then evaluated. The optimized conditions of 120 min and 60 °C enabled the recovery of interfacial material with lower water interference and a distinct compositional profile, as evidenced by the relative decrease in aliphatic contribution and the enrichment of bands associated with aromatic structures and oxygen-containing groups. In addition, the method allowed comparison of the interfacial materials obtained from different oils, revealing compositional differences among the evaluated systems. These results demonstrate that FTIR is a rapid, accessible, and effective tool for optimizing interfacial material isolation, providing a relevant experimental basis for studies on interfacial composition and the stability mechanisms of petroleum emulsions.
