Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 11, 2025

Enhanced Oil Recovery using a Combination of Biosurfactants
Published on: June 3, 2022
Synergistic effects of surfactant blends on lignite dust wettability
Xinhui Luo1, Xueming Fang1,2, Jie Liu1,2,3
1Faculty of Public Security and Emergency Management, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
Abstract:
In this study, we employed a combination of theoretical and experimental analyses to explore the effects of the physico-chemical properties of lignite samples and surfactants on lignite dust's wettability, thereby improving dust control in coal mines. First, we measured and analysed the coal samples' industrial composition, elemental composition and chemical structure. It was found that the selected lignite dust has high ash and low moisture content and contains many hydrophobic functional groups, resulting in poor wettability by water. Next, we conducted surface tension tests, contact angle tests and lignite dust settling experiments to screen 12 monomer surfactants, exploring the impact of these solutions on lignite dust wettability. Finally, considering all monomer surfactants' abilities to reduce surface tension, decrease contact angles and promote dust settling in solutions, we selected five surfactants (AES, MES-30, AEO-9, CDEA and CHSB) for blending based on their excellent performance in tests. We prepared the blends of these five surfactants, each with a mass fraction of 0.5 wt%, in a 1:1 ratio, resulting in 10 blended solutions. We measured the performance of these solutions and revealed that the AES + AEO-9 blend demonstrated a significant synergistic effect, markedly enhancing the capture efficiency of water for lignite dust.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Breathing
Factors Affecting Dissolution: Particle Size and Effective Surface Area
Porosity and Absorption of Aggregate
When all pores in an aggregate are filled with water, the aggregate is considered saturated and surface-dry. If left in dry air, water will evaporate until the...
Factors Affecting Pulmonary Ventilation
Alveolar Surface Tension
The alveolar fluid lines the luminal surface of the alveoli and exerts a force called surface tension. This force is caused by the polar water molecules in the liquid being more strongly attracted to each...
Fineness of Cement
Direct...

