Wettability: Fundamentals and Surface Forces

Abstract

Summary The wetting of mineral surfaces by water and oil is described by models of surface forces that become important when two surfaces approach each other. Force components are electrostatic, van der Waals, and structural. The electrostatic force depends on brine pH and salinity, crude oil composition, and the mineral. The surface forces are expressed as a disjoining pressure isotherm, and its integral is the specific interaction potential isotherm. The specific interaction potential isotherm can be used to determine the stable and metastable film-thickness profiles at the three-phase contact region for a given capillary pressure and/or curvature of the substrate. This profile gives the contact angle.