Petroleum is commonly described as an extremely complex mixture, the interest on the complex colloidal dispersion and its stability are growing, especially the asphaltene supramolecular aggregate which is closely related to the stability of petroleum. Meanwhile, people have been arguing about the main forces of asphaltene association. Here, the development of the supramolecular interaction in the self-associated process of petroleum components and their model compounds is reviewed. Experimental and theoretical studies have shown that asphaltenes have a strong tendency to form supramolecular aggregates via hydrogen bonding, π-π stacking, polar interactions and other interactions. One method to improve the understanding of liquid-phase association behavior relevant to asphaltenes is to synthesize pure compounds that contain selected chemical structures, and then to examine their behavior in solution. Finally, the prospects are pointed out based on the current development of the system. Contents
1 Introduction
2 Supramolecular interaction of petroleum components
2.1 Interaction type of supramolecular aggregates in petroleum components
2.2 Interaction studies of supramolecular aggregates in petroleum components
3 Interaction of supramolecular aggregates in model compounds of petroleum components
3.1 Intermolecular interaction of supramolecular aggregates in model compounds of petroleum components
3.2 Hydrogen bonding of supramolecular aggregates in model compounds of petroleum components
3.3 Supramolecular interaction of petroporphyrins
3.4 Molecular simulations of supramolecular aggregates of petroleum components model compounds
4 Specific application of supramolecular interaction in petroleum chemistry
5 Conclusion and outlook