Energy & Fuels, Vol.27, No.7, 3718-3724, 2013
Scaling of Structural Characteristics of Gelled Model Waxy Oils
The structural properties of gelled model waxy oils with different wax concentrations (5-20 wt %) were investigated through a differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) test, rheological measurement, and scaling model for colloidal gels. The wax precipitation curves obtained from the DSC test show that the concentration of precipitated wax crystals phi(W) increases gradually with the decrease of the temperature, and most of the waxes dissolved in the oil phase precipitate at -20 degrees C. The gelation point increases gradually with an increasing wax concentration from 22 degrees C at 5 wt % to 26 degrees C at 10 wt %, then to 32 degrees C at 15 wt %, and 34 degrees C at 20 wt %. The structure of gelled waxy oils, similar to the structure of colloidal gels, transits from a strong-link regime to a weak-link regime with the increase of phi(W), and the value of phi(W) at the transition point is around 1.8 wt % for all of the tested model waxy oils. In the strong-link region, G'(E) increases while gamma(E) decreases with an increasing phi(W). In the weak-link region, both G'(E) and gamma(E) increase with an increasing phi(W). The ln G'(E) similar to ln phi(W) and ln gamma(E) similar to ln phi w relations can be divided into three parts at wax concentrations of <= 10 wt %; at wax concentrations of 15-20 wt %, the relations can be divided into two parts. In the strong-link region, the fractal dimension D of gelled waxy oil was calculated through parameters A and B. In the weak-link region, the fractal dimension D was calculated through parameter B because of the good linear relationship between ln gamma(E) and ln phi(W). The fractal dimension D increases from very small values (less than 1) to high values (approaching 3) with an increasing phi(W), indicating the continuous development of the microstructure of the gelled waxy oils with an increasing phi(W).