Synthesis and wetting properties of a novel wetting agent by molecular design process

A novel wetting agent, N,N′-dipalmitoyl-ethylenediamine-diacetic acid, sodium salt (Di16EDDA), was designed and then synthesized. The designation was analyzed three common used anion wetting agents and calculated the interaction energies between the wetting agent molecules and the silica powder surface on which the molecules had been adsorbed. The designed new wetting agent has the strongest interaction energy with the silica powder. It has been found that the new agent possesses very low critical micelle concentration (cmc) in its aqueous solution. Comparisons were made with above three wetting agents. The results indicate that, on the silica powder, the best wetting behavior belongs to the new agent solution. Furthermore, the laboratory mimic oil recovery has been conducted and the new agent solution with the concentration around its critical micelle concentration, cmc, can get the best mimic oil recovery.