Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, Vol.313, No.2, 630-637, 2007
Dielectric analysis of the APG/n-butanol/cyclohexane/water nonionic microemulsions
The nonionic APG/n-butanol/cyclohexane/water microemulsions with different microstructure, which is induced by the variation of water contents, are investigated by the dielectric spectroscopy. An appropriate dielectric theory, Hanai theory and the corresponding analytical method are applied to obtain the internal properties of the constituent phases of microemulsions, such as the relative permittivity and conductivity of continuous and dispersed phases and the volume fraction of dispersed phase. Using these parameters, the distribution of n-butanol in constituent phases, which is of important in the study field of the microstructure of microemulsion, is obtained quantitatively. It is found that the n-butanol molecules not only distribute in the interfacial APG layer but also in the continuous and dispersed phases. In addition, the percolation threshold is interpreted by using the dynamic percolation model. The structural and dynamic information are obtained, for instance, the critical volume fraction of water when percolation occurs and the characteristic time for the rearrangement of clusters. These parameters are intimately related to the properties of rnicroemulsions, especially the characteristics of the interfacial layer. (c) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Keywords:microemulsion;alkyl polyglucoside;dielectric spectroscopy;dielectric analysis;interfacial polarization