Abstract
The terahertz (THz) time-domain spectroscopy technique was used to characterize the cooling process of solid n-alkanes. The THz waveforms of n-octadecane, n-nonadecane, n-eicosane, n-heneicosane, n-docosane, and n-pentacosane were obtained with the cooling time using the aforementioned noncontact optical method. The peak values of the THz signal were found to be related to the cooling temperature of n-alkanes. The THz wave was sensitive to the size and structure of particles in the liquid; therefore, the crystallization process of n-alkanes was monitored. An empirical equation based on signal attenuation was proposed to quantitatively distinguish the content change of structural order in the samples. Results present a new noncontact optical approach for characterizing wax crystallization via THz time-domain spectroscopy.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Sirota E B. Supercooling and transient phase induced nucleation in n-alkane solutions. Journal of Chemical Physics, 2000, 112(1): 492–500
Xie B Q, Liu G M, Jiang S C, Zhao Y, Wang D J. Crystallization behaviors of n-octadecane in confined space: crossover of rotator phase from transient to metastable induced by surface freezing. Journal of Physical Chemistry B, 2008, 112(42): 13310–13315
Sirota E B. Supercooling, nucleation, rotator phase, and surface crystallization of n-alkane melts. Langmuir, 1998, 14(11): 3133–3136
Yang X L, Kilpatrick P. Asphaltenes and waxs do not interact synergistically and coprecipitate in solid organic deposits. Energy & Fuels, 2005, 19(4): 1360–1375
Visintin R F G, Lockhart T P, Lapasin R, D’Antona P. Structure of waxy crude oil emulsion gels. Journal of Non-Newtonian Fluid Mechanics, 2008, 149(1–3): 34–39
Venkatesan R, Nagarajan N R, Paso K, Yi Y B, Sastry A M, Fogler H S. The strength of paraffin gels formed under static and flow conditions. Chemical Engineering Science, 2005, 60(13): 3587–3598
Agarwal KM, Purohit R C, Surianarayanan M, Joshi G C, Krishna R. Influence of waxes on the flow properties of Bombay high crude. Fuel, 1989, 68(7): 937–939
Rønningsen H P, Bjørndal B, Hansen A B, Pedersen W B. Wax precipitation from north sea crude oils.1. crystallization and dissolution temperatures, and Newtonian and non-Newtonian flow properties. Energy & Fuels, 1991, 5(6): 895–908
Briard A J, Bouroukba M, Petitjean D, Hubert N, Moise J C, Dirand M. Thermodynamic and structural analyses and mechanisms of the crystallization of multi-alkane model mixtures similar to petroleum cuts. Fuel, 2006, 85(5–6): 764–777
Petitjean D, Schmitt J F, Fiorani J M, Laine V, Bouroukba M, Dirand M, Cunat C. Some temperature-sensitive properties of pure linear alkanes and n-ary mixture. Fuel, 2006, 85(10–11): 1323–1328
Wang S L, Tozaki K I, Hayashi H, Hosaka S, Inaba H. Observation of multiple phase transitions in n-C22H46 using a high resolution and super-sensitive DSC. Thermochimica Acta, 2003, 408(1–2): 31–38
Tozaki K I, Inaba H, Hayashi H, Quan C, Nemoto N, Kimura T. Phase transitions of n-C32H66 measured by means of high resolution and super-sensitive DSC. Thermochimica Acta, 2003, 397(1–2): 155–161
Wang S L, Tozaki K I, Hayashi H, Inaba H, Yamamoto H. Observation of multiple phase transitions in some even n-alkanes using a high resolution and super-sensitive DSC. Thermochimica Acta, 2006, 448(2): 73–81
Sirota E B, Herhold A B. Transient phase-induced nucleation. Science, 1999, 283(5401): 529–532
Dirand M, Chevallier V, Provost E, Bouroukba M, Petitjean D. Multicomponent paraffin waxes and petroleum solid deposits: structural and thermodynamic state. Fuel, 1998, 77(12): 1253–1260
Sirota E B, Herhold A B. Transient rotator phase induced nucleation in n-alkane melts. Polymer, 2000, 41(25): 8781–8789
Zheng M J, Du W M. Phase behavior, conformations, thermodynamic properties, and molecular motion of multicomponent paraffin waxes: a roman spectroscopy study. Vibrational Spectroscopy, 2006, 40(2): 219–224
Shinohara Y, Kawasaki N, Ueno S, Kobayashi I, Nakajima M, Amemiya Y. Observation of the transient rotator phase of nhexadecane in emulsified droplets with time-resolved tow-dimensional small- and wide-angle X-Ray scattering. Physical Review Letters, 2005, 94(9): 097801
Grigera T S, Martin-Mayor V, Parisi G, Verrocchio P. Phonon interpretation of the ‘boson peak’ in supercooled liquids. Nature, 2003, 422(6929): 289–292
Shintani H, Tanaka H. Universal link between the boson peak and transverse phonons in glass. Nature Materials, 2008, 7(11): 870–877
Laib J P, Nickel D V, Mittleman DM. Terahertz vibrational modes induced by heterogeneous nucleation in n-alkanes. Chemical Physics Letters, 2010, 493(4–6): 279–282
Zeitler J A, Newnham D A, Taday P F, Threlfall T L, Lancaster R W, Berg R W, Strachan C J, Pepper M, Gordon K C, Rades T. Characteristics of temperature-induced phase transitions in five polymorphic forms of sulfathiazole by terahertz pulsed spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2006, 95(11): 2486–2498
Laib J P, Mittleman D M. Temperature-dependent terahertz spectroscopy of liquid n-alkanes. Journal of Infrared, Millimeter and Terahertz Waves, 2010, 31(9): 1015–1021
Al-Douseri F M, Chen Y Q, Zhang X C. THz wave sensing for petroleum industrial applications. International Journal of Infrared and Millimeter Waves, 2006, 27(4): 481–503
Cataldo F, Angelini G, Aníbal García-Hernández D, Manchado A. Far infrared (terahertz) spectroscopy of a series of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and application to structure interpretation of asphaltenes and related compounds. Spectrochimica Acta Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy, 2013, 111: 68–79
Tian L, Zhou Q L, Zhao K, Shi Y L, Zhao D M, Zhao S Q, Zhao H, Bao R M, Zhu S M, Miao Q, Zhang C L. Consistencydependent optical properties of lubricating grease studied by terahertz spectroscopy. Chinese Physics B, 2011, 20(1): 010703
Zhan H L, Wu S X, Bao R M, Ge L N, Zhao K. Qualitative identification of crude oils from different oil fields using terahertz time-domain spectroscopy. Fuel, 2015, 143: 189–193
Naftaly M, Foulds A P, Miles R E, Davies A G. Terahertz transmission spectroscopy of nonpolar materials and relationship with composition and properties. International Journal of Infrared and Millimeter Waves, 2005, 26(1): 55–64
Gaber B P, Peticolas W L. On the quantitative interpretation of biomembrane structure by Raman spectroscopy. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta, 1977, 465(2): 260–274
Tarazona A, Koglin E, Coussens B B, Meier R J. Conformational dependence of Raman frequencies and intensities in alkanes and polyethylene. Vibrational Spectroscopy, 1997, 14(2): 159–170
Meier R J. Corrigendum to “Conformational dependence of vibrational frequencies and intensities in alkanes and polyethylene” by Tarazona et al (Vib. Spectrosc. 14 (1997) 159–170). Vibrational Spectroscopy, 1997, 15(1): 147
Koglin E, Meier R J. Conformational dependence of Raman frequencies and intensities in alkanes and polyethylene. Computational and Theoretical Polymer Science, 1999, 9(3–4): 327–333
Meier R J, Csiszár A, Klumpp E. Detecting the effect of very low amounts of penetrants in lipid bilayers using Raman spectroscopy. The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters B, 2006, 110(42): 20727–20728
Acknowledgments
This work was supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (No. 2014CB744302), the Specially Funded Program on National Key Scientific Instruments and Equipment Development (No. 2012YQ140005), the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Association Science and Technology Guidance Program (No. 20160107), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 11574401).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Chen Jiang obtained her B.Sc. degree from Hebei Normal University of Science and Technology in 2012. She is currently working toward a Ph.D. degree in Materials Science and Engineering at China University of Petroleum, Beijing, China. Her research interest includes terahertz detection of crude oil.
Honglei Zhan obtained his B.Sc. degree from Xiamen University in 2012. He is currently working toward a Ph.D. degree in Materials Science and Engineering at China University of Petroleum, Beijing, China. His research interest includes nano-petrophysics and terahertz metrology.
Kun Zhao obtained his B.Sc. degree in Physics from Nanjing University in 1992, his master’s degree from the Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences in 1997, and his Ph.D. degree from the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2001. He is currently a professor in optical engineering and the head of the Beijing Key Laboratory of Optical Detection Technology for Oil and Gas. His research interest includes oil and gas optics.
Cheng Fu obtained her B.Sc. degree from Yangtze University in 2011 and her master’s degree from China University of Petroleum, Beijing, China, in 2014. Her research interest includes the application of terahertz spectroscopy in crude oil.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Jiang, C., Zhan, H., Zhao, K. et al. Characterization of the cooling process of solid n-alkanes via terahertz spectroscopy. Front. Optoelectron. 10, 132–137 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12200-017-0681-0
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12200-017-0681-0