Water-AOT-alkylbenzene microemulsions: Influence of alkyl chain length on structure and percolation behavior

作者：Appel Markus^*; Spehr Tinka Luise; Wipf Robert; Stuehn Bernd

来源：Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 2012, 376(1): 140-145.

DOI：10.1016/j.jcis.2012.02.062

• Microemulsion
• AOT
• Alkylbenzene
• Dynamic percolation
• Small angle X-ray scattering

We study the percolation behavior of the water-in-oil (w/o) droplet phase of AOT (sodium bis[2-ethyl-hexyl] sulfosuccinate)-based microemulsions with different alkylbenzenes (toluene, ethylbenzene, butylbenzene or octylbenzene) as oil phase. We use microemulsions of varying composition with molar water to surfactant ratios 0 %26lt;= W %26lt;= 50 and droplet (water plus surfactant) volume fractions 10% %26lt;= phi %26lt;= 50%. Using dielectric spectroscopy, a percolation transition is observed in w/o microemulsions with butylbenzene or octylbenzene. With increasing molecular weight of the alkylbenzene, the percolation temperature T-p decreases. The structure of the microemulsions is determined by small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). With increasing molar weight of the alkylbenzene, the stability range of the L-2 droplet phase extends to higher W. The larger amount of solubilizable water can be related to variable oil penetration of the AOT monolayer, which affects the spontaneous curvature of the surfactant shell.

• 出版日期2012-6-15