Specific asphaltene aggregation in toluene at around 50 mg/L

Abstract

Asphaltene dispersed in toluene at 10-500 mg/L was analyzed using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) with synchrotron radiation. The degree of fluctuation in the solutions showed a discontinuous maximum at 50 mg/L. Distance distribution function (DDF) analysis of the SAXS profiles suggested that the asphaltene formed a complex aggregated structure at 50 mg/L, whereas rodlike structures formed at 100 and 500 mg/L. The results indicate that 50 mg/L is a specific concentration on asphaltene aggregation state in toluene.