This rhamnolipid biosurfactant is a glycolipid produced by Pseudomonas under aerobic conditions, built from a hydrophilic rhamnose head and a lipophilic hydroxyalkanoate tail. Its molecular weight is 476–766 and its critical micelle concentration is 20–200 mg/L. It lowers water surface tension from 72 mN/m to 30 mN/m and, more importantly for recovery, oil-water interfacial tension from 43 mN/m to 1 mN/m; when blended into a surfactant-polymer system the interfacial tension can be driven to the 10⁻³ mN/m range, which is where displacement efficiency improves most. It is stable up to 121 °C and at 10% salt. The mono- and di-rhamnolipid ratio can be steered by strain selection: mixed product titre is 50 g/L and di-rhamnolipid above 98% has been produced at 40 g/L. Di-rhamnolipid also gives stronger wetting — published washing-efficiency tests at 500 mg/L report R90 above 90%, R60 87.8% and R30 69.6%.
Applications
- Enhanced oil recovery where interfacial tension is the limiting factor
- Surfactant-polymer flooding and chemical drive design
- Wettability alteration and oil liberation from rock surfaces
- Reservoirs with high temperature or high salinity
Specifications
| Product code | Confirmed per site |
|---|---|
| Type | Rhamnolipid biosurfactant from Pseudomonas fermentation |
| Appearance | Aqueous solution |
| Composition | Mono- and di-rhamnolipid, with the ratio controlled by strain selection |
| Molecular weight | 476–766 |
| Critical micelle concentration (CMC) | 20–200 mg/L |
| Surface tension reduction | Water surface tension from 72 mN/m down to 30 mN/m |
| Interfacial tension reduction | Oil-water interfacial tension from 43 mN/m down to 1 mN/m |
| Temperature tolerance | Stable up to 121 °C |
| Salinity tolerance | Stable at 10% salt |
| Fermentation titre | Mixed product 50 g/L; di-rhamnolipid >98% at 40 g/L |
| Formulation | Aqueous solution |
Note: specification values are confirmed against your target parameter or site data and stated in the quotation. We do not publish figures that our technical team has not confirmed — request the current technical data sheet and we will send it with our reply.
Documents
- MSDS (SDS) — current revision supplied with the quotation
- COA — issued per production batch, supplied with the shipment
Request the current MSDS or a batch COA through the contact form and we will send it by email.
Request a quotation
Send us the target parameter, effluent or reservoir data and the quantity required. Our application engineers will confirm the suitable grade, dosing guidance and packaging, and reply with a quotation stating the Incoterm and its validity.