Phase Behavior of Branched Tail Ethoxylated Carboxylate Surfactant/Electrolyte/Alkane Systems.

This paper describes the effect of pH on phase behavior of branched tail EO carboxylate surfactants in electrolyte/ alkane microemulsion system3 which are of possible pertinence to enhanced oil recovery. The pH of the aqueous surfactant solutions was found to have a considerable effect on the salinity requirement for middle phase microemulsion formation. At 70 and 60°C alcohol-free optimal three phase microemulsion systems are formed with all alkanes studied over the entire pH range of 6-12. At lower temperatures and. higher pH values, liquid crystals were found to form in systems which contained lower molecular weight alkanes.