Interfacial properties and phase behaviour of an ionic microemulsion system

Abstract

This thesis reports a study of a microemulsion model system composed of the ionic surfactant SDS (Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate), the cosurfactant pentanol and/or hexanol, water, salt and cyclohexane. Depending on the concentrations of the constituent parts, this system may form microemulsion phases and liquid crystals. The investigation aims to understand this phase behaviour in terms of so-called phenomenological theories. These theories predict global phase behaviour and detailed properties of droplet type microemulsions as a function of physical properties of the surfactant(s) monolayer at the oil-water interface.