SURFACE ROUGHNESS CHARACTERIZATION FOR GEOLOGIC MINERALS AND ITS IMPACT ON THE WETTABILITY

Surface roughness is a fundamental characteristic of various surfaces, spanning from macroscopic features on large-scale roads to minute-scale textures on microscopic glass. Its significance lies in its control over friction, optical properties, fluid flow, and contact mechanisms. This study focuses on the controlled surface roughness generation on different geological minerals and engineered samples using abrasive silicon carbide (SiC) powder grits.

To quantify the surface roughness, advanced imaging techniques such as the confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM) and atomic force microscope (AFM) are employed. The obtained data is then subjected to surface roughness characterization using the representative elementary area (REA) analysis. This analysis utilizes various roughness statistical parameters, including Sa (Arithmetical mean height), Sk (Skewness), κ (kurtosis), and autocorrelation length (Sal), to assess the representative nature of the surface roughness.

A crucial objective of this research is to establish an empirical relationship between wettability and surface roughness. By investigating these relationships, valuable insights can be obtained into how surface roughness influences the wetting behavior of different geological minerals.

This study contributes to understanding the underlying mechanisms governing surface interactions at different scales. Systematically generating and characterizing roughness on various surfaces provides valuable data that can inform numerous fields, including materials science, geology, and engineering. Moreover, the empirical relationship between surface roughness and wettability opens up new avenues for tailoring surface properties to achieve specific wetting behaviors, which holds great promise for practical applications in areas like surface coatings, adhesion, and fluid dynamics. Ultimately, this research enhances our knowledge of surface phenomena and contributes to the development of carbon capture and storage, multiphase contaminant removal from aquifers and soils helpful from an environmental perspective, and efficient hydrocarbon recovery helps in energy security.