Plasma Processing of Light- and Heavy-Oil Asphaltenes

The paper presents an analysis of the results of an experimental study of carbon materials obtained in a direct-current arc plasma from asphaltenes isolated from light oil of the Sredneugutskoye field and combined heavy oil from Venezuelan fields, as well as asphaltenes isolated from natural asphaltite. The influence of the composition of initial asphaltenes on the composition and properties of carbon materials obtained as a result of plasma treatment has been studied. The parent asphaltenes and carbon materials synthesized from them have been examined using a set of instrumental methods: X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence analysis, Fourier-transform IR spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission and scanning electron microscopy, and laser diffraction. Changes in the composition and structure of the obtained materials after plasma processing of asphaltenes have been established. It is shown that this method can be considered promising for processing not only petroleum material, but also oil industry waste enriched in resin–asphaltene components.