Asphaltene radicals and their interaction with molecular oxygen: an EPR probe of their molecular characteristics and tendency to aggregate

The paramagnetic species nature of different geological origin asphaltenes are discussed on the basis of Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) results. Free organic radicals are present in petroleum asphaltenes but their molecular nature is poorly known owing to the multiplicity of their molecular structures which causes the appearance of a single unresolved EPR signal with a linewidth of 4–6 Gauss. In spite of the poorly resolved signals the microwave power dependence of EPR line intersities gives some insights into the nature of the aromatic rings condensation. More aromatic asphaltenes show higher saturation power of the EPR lines: this fact has been explained by a spin exchange mechanism between π-π electronic clouds of adjacent molecules, supported also by some XRD evidences. Moreover, asphaltenes in argon (not paramagnetic gas) show a maximum intensity at much lower microwave power than in oxygen atmosphere (paramagnetic gas); besides, the differences in the saturation behavior for the different asphaltenes are much more evident in oxygen atmosphere. This phenomenon is suggested to be a consequence of a weak spatial complex between aromatic moieties and oxygen molecules that deeply contribute to the relaxation pathway. Synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy confirms the difference in the size of aromatic cores in asphaltenes molecules as supposed on the basis of the saturation mechanism of EPR line intensities.