Microemulsions as model systems

It is demonstrated how microemulsions can be used as model systems to study a range of fundamental liquid state phenomena. By carefully characterizing a single ternary system it is possible to obtain both a qualitative understanding and a quantitative description using the concept of the curvature energy of the surfactant film at the water-oil interface. We demonstrate the approach on the following problems: calculation of the oil-water interfacial free energy; nucleation; Ostwald ripening; solubilization kinetics; the Hofmeister effect; macroemulsion stability; vesicle fusion and fission. For all these phenomena it is demonstrated that one can by combining experimental studies on water-oil-nonionic surfactant systems with a careful theoretical analysis obtain an understanding that goes beyond what has been achieved using conventional systems. To cite this article: H. Wennerstrom, U. Olsson, C R. Chimie 12 (2009). (C) 2008 Academie des sciences. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.