Langmuir and Langmuir-Blodgett asphaltene films at heptane-water interface

Monolayer characteristics of subfractions and unfractionated whole asphaltenes from Athabasca oil sands bitumen were studied at heptane-water interface. The transferred Langmuir-Blodgett films of asphaltenes were characterised with atomic force microscopy and contact angle measurements. Monolayers prepared from the three asphaltene samples are found to behave similarly at heptane-water interface. The high molecular weight asphaltene monolayer is the most expanded one whereas the low molecular weight asphaltene monolayer is the most condensed one. An asphaltene monolayer behaves differently at an air-water interface to a heptane-water interface. The presence of the bulk heptane phase renders the interfacial asphaltene monolayer more flexible as compared to that at air-water interface.