Acceleration of methane hydrate nucleation by crystals of hydrated sodium dodecyl sulfate

It was shown that hydrated crystals of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), which precipitate from dilute SDS solutions sharply accelerate nucleation of methane gas hydrate. This finding adds significant details to the available information on the mechanisms of hydrate formation from SDS solutions and can form the basis for the development of a new class of kinetic promoters of hydrate formation.