Skip to main content

Part of the book series: NATO ASI Series ((ASIC,volume 324))

Abstract

The structure of liquid surfactant-water-oil mixtures, so called microemulsions, is discussed. These solutions are microstructured into separate polar and apolar domains (typical length scales are of the order of 10–400 Å) separated by a monolayer of oriented surfactant molecules. The structure may be either uni- or bicontinuous. It is stressed that multicomponent self-diffusion measurements, most easily performed with the pulsed gradient FT NMR technique, is presently the most suitable technique for studying microemulsion structure. Molecular self-diffusion properties of uni- and bicontinuous microemulsion structure are presented. Various surfactant-water-oil systems are reviewed with emphasis on their liquid microstructure.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 259.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 329.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 329.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Friberg, Stig E. and Bothorel, Pierre (eds.) (1987) Microemulsions: Structure and Dynamics, CRC Press, Boca Raton.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Bourrel, Maurice and Schechter, Robert S. (1988) Microemulsions and related systems, Marcel Dekker, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Martelucci, S. and Chester, A.N. (eds.) (1989) Progress in Microemulsions, Plenum Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Shinoda, K and Friberg, S. (1986) Emulsions and Solubilization, Wiley-Interscience, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Danielsson, I. and Lindman, B. (1981) ‘The definition of microemulsion’, Colloids and Surfaces 3, 391–392.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Shinoda, K. and Yutaka, S. (1986) ‘Principles for the attainment of minimum oil-water interfacial tension by surfactants: The characteristics of organized surfactant phase’, Colloids and Surfaces 19, 185–196.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Kunieda, H. and Shinoda, K. (1980) ‘Solution Behavior and Hydrophile-Lipophile Balance Temperature in the Aerosol OT-Isooctane-Brine System: Correlation between Microemulsions and Ultralow Interfacial Tensions’, J. Colloid Interface Sci. 75, 601–606.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Kunieda, H. and Shinoda, K. (1979) ‘Solution Behavior of Aerosol OT/Water/Oil System’, J. Colloid Interface Sci. 70, 577–583.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Shinoda, K., Kunieda, H., Arai, T. and Saijo, H. (1984) ‘Principles of Attaining Very Large Solubilization (Microemulsion): Inclusive Understanding of the Solubilization of Oil and Water in Aqueous and Hydrocarbon Media’, J. Phys. Chem. 88, 5126–5129.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Shinoda, K. (1985) ‘The Significance and Characteristics of Organized Solutions’, J. Phys. Chem. 89, 2429–2431.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Kahlweit, M., Strey, R. and Busse, G. (1990) ‘Microemulsions — A Qualitative Thermodynamic Approach’, submitted to J. Phys. Chem.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Kahlweit, M., Strey, R., Firman, P., Haase, D., Jen, J. and Shomäcker, R. (1988) ‘General Patterns of the Phase Behavior of Mixtures of H2O, Nonpolar Solvents, Amphiphiles, and Electrolytes. 1’, Langmuir 4, 499–511.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Kahlweit, M., Strey, R., Shomäcker, R. and Haase, D. (1989) ‘General Patterns of the Phase Behavior of Mixtures of H2O, Nonpolar Solvents, Amphiphiles, and Electrolytes. 2’, Langmuir 5, 305–315.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Kahlweit, M. and Strey, R (1985) ‘Phase Behavior of Ternary Systems of the Type H2O Oil-Nonionic Amphiphile (Microemulsions)’, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 24, 654–668.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Kahlweit, M. (1988) ‘Microemulsions’, Science 240, 617–621.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Kilpatrick, P.K., Gorman, C.A., Davis, H.T., Scriven, L.E. and Miller, W.G. (1986) ‘Patterns of Phase Behavior in Ternary Ethoxylated Alcohol-n-Alkane-Water Mixtures’, J. Phys. Chem. 90, 5292–5299.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Evans, D.F., Mitchell, D.J. and Ninham, B.W. (1986) ‘Oil, Water, and Surfactant: Properties and Conjectured Structure of Simple Microemulsions’, J. Phys. Chem. 90, 2817 2825.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Chen, S.J., Evans, D.F. and Ninham, B.W. (1984) ‘Properties and Structure of Three Component Ionic Microeemulsions’, J. Phys. Chem. 88, 1631-1634.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Ninham, B.W., Chen, S.J. and Evans, D.F. (1984) ‘Role of Oils and Other Factors in Microemulsion Design’, J. Phys. Chem. 88, 5855–5857.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Mitchell, D.J. and Ninham, B.W. (1981) ‘Micelles, Vesicles and Microemulsions’, J. Chem. Soc, Faraday Trans. 2, 77, 601–629.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Shah, D.O. (1985) ‘Macro- and Microemulsions: Theory and Applications’, ACS symposium series, v. 272.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  22. Shinoda, K. and Lindman, B. (1987) ‘Organized Surfactant systems: Microemulsions’, Langmuir 3, 135–149.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Auvray, L., Cotton, J., Ober, R. and Taupin, C. (1984) ‘Evidence for Zero Mean Curvature Microemulsions’, J. Phys. Chem. 88, 4586–4589.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Auvray, L., Cotton, J., Ober, R. and Taupin, C. (1984) ‘Concentrated Winsor microemulsions: a small angle X-ray scattering study’, J. Physique 45, 913–928.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Zemb, T.N., Hyde, S.T., Derian, P.-J., Barnes, I.S. and Ninham, B.W. (1987 ‘Microstructure from X-ray Scattering: The Disordered Open Connected Model of Microemulsions’, J. Phys. Chem. 91, 3814–3820.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Milner, S.T., Safran, S.A., Andelman, D., Cates, M.E. and Roux, D. (1988) ‘Correlations and structure factor of bicontinuous microemulsions’, J. Phys. France 49, 1065–1076.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Vonk, C.G., Billman, J.F. and Kaler, E.W. (1988) ‘Small angle scattering of bicontinuous structures in Microemulsions’, J. Chem. Phys. 88, 3970–3975.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Chang, N.J. and Kaler, E.W. (1986) ‘Quasi-Elastic Light Scattering Study of Five Component Microemulsions’, Langmuir 2, 184–190.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Teubner, M. and Strey, R. (1987) ‘Origin of the scattering peak in microemulsions’, J. Chem. Phys. 87, 3195–3200.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Talmon, Y. (1986) ‘Electron microscopy in the research of surfactants in solution’, in K.L. Mittal and P. Bothorel (eds.), Surfactants in Solution, Vol. 6, Plenum Press, New York, pp. 1581–1588.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  31. Talmon, Y. (1986) ‘Imaging surfactant dispersions by electron microscopy of vitrified specimens’, Colloids and Surfaces 19, 237–248.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Talmon, Y. (1983) ‘Staining and Drying-Induced Artifacts in Electron Microscopy of Surfactant Dispersions’, J. Colloid Interface Sci. 93, 366–382.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Jahn, W. and Strey, R. (1988) ‘Microstructure of Microemulsions by Freeze Fracture Electron Microscopy’, J. Phys. Chem. 92, 2294–2301.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Stilbs, P. (1987) ‘Fourier Transform Pulsed-Gradient Spin-Echo Studies of Molecular Diffusion’, Prog. Nucl. Magn. Reson. Spectrosc. 19, 1–45.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Callaghan, P.T. (1984) ‘Pulsed Field Gradient Nuclear Magnetic Resonance as a Probe of Liquid State Molecular Organization’, Aust. J. Phys. 37, 359–387.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Tanner, J.E. and Stejskal, E.O. (1968) ‘Restricted Self-Diffusion of Protons in Colloidal Systems by the Pulsed-Gradient, Spin-Echo Method’, J. Chem. Phys. 49, 1768–1777.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Bodet, J.-F., Bellare, J.R., Davis, H.T., Scriven, L.E. and Miller, W.G. (1988) ‘Fluid Microstructure Transition from Globular to Bicontinuous in Midrange Microemulsion’, J. Phys. Chem. 92, 1898–1902.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Bull, T. and Lindman, B. (1974) ‘Amphiphile diffusion in cubic lyotropic mesophases’, Mol. Cryst. Liq. Cryst. 28, 155–160.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Lindman, B., Shinoda, K., Olsson, U., Anderson, D., Karlström, G. and Wennerström, H. (1989) ‘On the Demonstration of Bicontinuous Structures in Microemulsions’, Colloids and Surfaces 38, 205–224.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Lindman, B. and Stilbs, P. (1987) ‘Molecular diffusion in microemulsions’, in S. Friberg and P. Bothorel (eds.), Microemulsions, CRC Press, Boca Raton, pp. 119–152.

    Google Scholar 

  41. Lindman, B., Kamenka, N., Kathopoulis, T.-M., Brun, B. and Nilsson, P.-G. (1980) ‘Translational Diffusion and Solution Structure of Microemulsions’, J. Phys. Chem. 84, 2485–2490.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Jönsson, B., Wennerström, H., Nilsson, P.-G. and Linse, P. (1986) ‘Self-diffusion of small molecules in colloidal systems’, Colloid Polym. Sci. 264, 77–88.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  43. Anderson, D. and Wennerström, H. (1990) ‘Self-Diffusion in Bicontinuous Cubic Phases, L3 Phases and Microemulsions’, J. Phys. Chem., in press.

    Google Scholar 

  44. Jonströmer, M., Parker, W.O. and Olsson, U. (1990), in prep.

    Google Scholar 

  45. Olsson, U., Nagai, K. and Wennerström, H (1988) ‘Microemulsions with Nonionic Surfactants. 1. Diffusion Process of Oil Molecules’, J. Phys. Chem. 92, 6675–6679.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. Persoz (1846) ‘Traité théoretique et practique de l’impression des tissus’, Vol. 1, p. 354

    Google Scholar 

  47. quoted by F. Krafft in Ber. 27, 1755 (1894).

    Google Scholar 

  48. Olsson, U., Ström, P., Söderman, O. and Wennerström, H. (1989) ‘Phase Behavior, Self-Diffusion, and 2H NMR Relaxation Studies in an Ionic Surfactant System Containing Cosurfactant and Salt. A Comparison with Nonionic Surfactant Systems’, J. Phys. Chem. 93, 4572–4580.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  49. Ekwall, P., Mandell, L. and Fontell, K. (1970) ‘Some Observations on Binary and Ternary Aerosol OT Systems’, J. Colloid Interface Sci. 33, 215–235.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  50. Fontell, K. (1973) ‘The Structure of the Liquid Crystalline Optical Isotropic Viscous Phase Occurring in Some Aerosol OT Systems’, J. Colloid Interface Sci. 43, 156-164.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  51. Zulauf, M. and Eicke, H.-F. (1979) ‘Inverted Micelles and Microemulsions in the Ternary System H2O/Aerosol-OT/Isooctane as Studied by Photon Correlation Spectroscopy’, J. Phys. Chem. 83, 480–486.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  52. Eicke, H.-F. (1980) ‘Aggregation in surfactant solutions: formation and properties of micelles and microemulsions’, Pure & Appl. Chem. 52, 1349–1357.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  53. Chen, S.H. (1986) ‘Small angle neutron scattering studies of the structure and interaction in micellar and microemulsion systems’, Ann. Rev. Phys. Chem. 37, 351–399.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  54. Stilbs, P. and Lindman, B. (1984) ‘Aerosol OT aggregation in water and hydrocarbon solution from NMR self-diffusion measurements’, J. Colloid Interface Sci. 99, 290–293.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  55. Eicke, H.-F., Borkovec, M. and Das-Gupta, B. (1989) ‘Conductivity of Water-in-Oil Microemulsions: A Quantitative Charge Fluctuation Model’, J. Phys. Chem. 93, 314–317.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  56. Fletcher, P.D.I., Howe, A.M. and Robinson, B.H. (1987) ‘The Kinetics of Solubilisate Trans. 1, 83, 985–1006.

    Google Scholar 

  57. Kotlarchyk, M., Huang, J.S. and Chen, S.-H. (1985) ‘Structure of AOT Reversed Micelles Determined by Small-Angle Neutron Scattering’, J. Phys. Chem. 89, 4382–4386.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  58. Carlström, G. and Halle, B. (1989) ‘Shape Fluctuations and Water Diffusion in Microemulsion Droplets. A Nuclear Spin Relaxation Study’, J. Phys. Chem. 93, 3287–3299.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  59. Fontell, K., Ceglie, A., Lindman, B. and Ninham, B. (1986) ‘Some observations on phase diagrams and structure in binary and ternary systems of didodecyldimethylammonium bromide’, Acta Chem. Scand. A49, 247–256.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  60. Saito, H. and Shinoda, K. (1970) ‘The Stability of W/O Type Emulsions as a Function of Temperature and of the Hydrophilic Chani Length of the Emulsifier’ J. Colloid Interface Sci. 32, 647–651.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  61. Scriven, L.E. (1976) ‘Equilibrium bicontinuous structure’, Nature 263, 123–125.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  62. Anderson, D.M. (1986) ‘Studies in the Microstructure of Microemulsions’, Ph. D. Thesis, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

    Google Scholar 

  63. Olsson, U. (1988) ‘Surfactant Organization and Dynamics in Micellar Solutions and Microemulsions’, Ph. D. Thesis, University of Lund, Lund.

    Google Scholar 

  64. Ekwall, P., Mandell, L. and Fontell, K. (1969) ‘Solubilization in Micelles and Mesophases and the Transition from Normal to Reversed Structures’, Mol. Cryst. Liquid Cryst. 8, 157–213.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  65. Hoar, T.P. and Schulman, J.H. (1943), Nature 152, 102.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  66. v. Dijk, M.A., Joosten, J.G.H., Levine, Y.K. and Bedeaux, D. (1989) ‘Dielectric Study of Temperature-Dependent Aerosol OT/Water/Isooctane Microemulsion Structure’, J. Phys. Chem. 93, 2506–2512.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  67. Kotlarchyk, M., Stephens, R.B. and Huang, J.S. (1988) ‘Study of Schultz Distribution to Model Polydispersity of Microemulsion Droplets’, J. Phys. Chem. 92, 1533–1538.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  68. Robinson, B.H., Toprakcioglu, C. and Dore, J.C. (1984) ‘Small-angle Neutron-scattering Study of Microemulsions Stabilized by Aerosol-OT Part 1.-Solvent and Concentration Variation’, J. Chem. Soc, Faraday Trans. 1, 80, 13–27.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  69. Toprakcioglu, C, Dore, J.C. and Robinson, B.H. (1984) ‘Small-angle Neutron-scattering Studies of Microemulsions Stabilized by Aerosol-OT Part 2.-Critical Scattering and Phase Stability’, J. Chem. Soc, Faraday Trans. 1, 80, 413–422.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  70. Eicke, H.F. (1982) ‘Self-Organization of Amphiphilic Molecules: Micelles and Micro-Phases’, Chimia 36, 241–246.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  71. Blum, F.D., Pickup, S., Ninham, B., Chen, S.J. and Evans, D.F. (1985) ‘Structure and Dynamics in Three-Component Microemulsions’, J. Phys. Chem. 89, 711–713.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  72. Chen, S.J., Evans, D.F., Ninham, B.W., Mitchell, D.J., Blum, F.D. and Pickup, S. (1986) ‘Curvature as a Determinant of Microstructure and Microemulsions’, J. Phys. Chem. 90, 842–847.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  73. Lang, J.C. and Morgan, R.D. (1980) ‘Nonionic surfactant mixtures. I. Phase equilibria in C10E4-H2O and closed-loop coexistence’, J. Chem. Phys. 73, 5849–5861.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  74. Mitchell, D.J., Tiddy, G.J.T., Waring, L., Bostock, T. and McDonald, M.P. (1983) ‘Phase Behavior of Polyoxyethylene Surfactants with Water’, J. Chem. Soc., Faraday Trans. 1, 79, 975–1000.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  75. Strey, R., Schomäcker, R., Roux, D., Nallet, F. and Olsson, U. (1990) ‘On the Dilute Lamellar and L3 Phases in the Binary Water-C12E5 System’, J. Chem. Soc., Faraday Trans. 1, in press.

    Google Scholar 

  76. Olsson, U., Shinoda, K. and Lindman, B. (1986) ‘Change of the Structure of Microemulsions with the Hydrophile-Lipophile Balance of Nonionic Surfactant As Revealed by NMR Self-Diffusion Studies’, J. Phys. Chem. 90, 4083–4088.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  77. Kahlweit, M., Strey, R., Haase, D., Kunieda, H., Schmeling, T., Faulhaber, B., Borkovec, M., Eicke, H.-F., Busse, G., Eggers, F., Funck, TH., Richmann, H., Magid, L., Söderman, O., Stilbs, P., Winkler, J., Dittrich, A. and Jahn, W. (1987) ‘How to Study Microemulsions’, J. Colloid Interface Sci. 118, 436–453.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1990 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Olsson, U., Lindman, B. (1990). Uni- and Bicontinuous Microemulsions. In: Bloor, D.M., Wyn-Jones, E. (eds) The Structure, Dynamics and Equilibrium Properties of Colloidal Systems. NATO ASI Series, vol 324. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-3746-1_16

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-3746-1_16

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-5666-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-011-3746-1

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics