The automated Waxphaltene Determinator separation is an on-column precipitation and re-dissolution separation based on freezing, melting, and solubility.  Although high-performance liquid chromatography equipment is used, the separation does not involve chromatography.  Waxes and asphaltenes are precipitated from 2 mg sample with methyl ethyl ketone at -24 �C in an inert ground polytetrafluoroethylene-packed column.  The precipitated material is re-dissolved in four steps using a series of three solvents of increasing polarity at different temperatures:  heptane at -24 �C, heptane at 60 �C, toluene at 30 �C, and methylene chloride:methanol (98:2 v:v) at 30 �C.  This approach allows the detection of waxy, polar, and pericondensed aromatic components in minutes.   Fractions were collected from a waxy residuum by repetitive injections.  These were characterized by high temperature gas chromatography, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and high resolution Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry.

Optimized waxphaltene determinator separation of waxes in petroleum residua

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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