(64d) Molecular Structure of Heavy Oil Revealed - 1

Recent AFM results showing the structure of molecules that make up asphaltenes show that the canonical view of this most recalcitrant portion of petroleum is completely wrong. Each of the molecules observed is different, has different geometry, may or may not contain heteroatoms, and are not generally planar. The sole common factor among of the molecules is that they are hydrogen deficient, a fact that has been known since 1900. Consequently, the force that holds together asphaltene aggregates must be dominated by London dispersion forces. The molecules are not generalizable as polar, instead they should be viewed as polarizable. Further, asphaltene nano-aggregates cannot be viewed as simple pancake-like stacks, but more like a three dimensional brickwork.