Interfacial behaviour of short-chain fluorocarbon surfactants at the n-hexane/water interface: a molecular dynamics study.

The utilization of long-chain fluorocarbon surfactants is restricted due to environmental regulations, prompting a shift in the focus of research towards short-chain fluorocarbon surfactants. The present study employs molecular dynamics techniques to model the behaviour of potassium perfluorobutylsulfonate (PFBS) at the n-hexane/water interface, aiming to investigate the efficacy of short-chain fluorocarbon surfactants in enhancing oil recovery. The findings suggest that ionized PFBS has the ability to autonomously migrate to the oil/water interface, forming a layered thin film, with the sulfonic acid group being submerged in water, while the fluorocarbon chain is oriented towards the oil phase.