This book takes an interface science approach to describe and understand the behavior of the dispersions we call emulsions, microemulsions and foams. The one thing all these dispersions have in common is the presence of surface-active species (surfactants) adsorbed at the interfaces between the two fluid phases that make up the emulsions, microemulsions or foams. The interfacial layers formed by the surfactants control most of the properties of the dispersions. The book describes the properties of interfacial layers, thin films and bulk fluids used in the elaboration of the various dispersions and it explains how such properties relate to the dispersion properties of these soft matter systems: structure, rheology and stability. These dispersion properties are far from being fully understood, in particular foam and emulsion stability. In discussing the state of the art of the current knowledge, the author draws interesting parallels between emulsions, microemulsions and foams that enlighten the interpretation of previous observations and point to a deeper understanding of the behavior of these materials in the future.

Microemulsions: Theory and Practice covers the development of the theory and practice of microemulsion systems. This book is divided into seven chapters that explore the physics and chemistry of microemulsions. This book deals first with the commercial history of microemulsions, from the discovery of carnauba wax emulsions to polymer emulsions. This topic is followed by discussions on the theoretical aspects of microemulsion formulation techniques and the design of other products. The subsequent chapter describes the microemulsion formulation with less solubilizer or emulsifier together with their optical properties. A chapter examines the mixed film theory that explains the dispersions, oil-water interface, and inferences in microemulsions. Another chapter considers the role of microemulsions in micellar solutions and their relations to the concentrations of different compounds. This chapter also looks into the association phenomena of three-component phase equilibria diagrams and liquids crystals to microemulsions. The concluding chapter discusses the role of the capillary and hydrostatic forces on the entrapment of oil in the reservoir and the necessary conditions for the displacement of entrapped oil. The important properties and economic aspects of a microemulsion slug required for the tertiary oil recovery are also covered in this chapter.

The effective use of microemulsions has increased dramatically during the past few decades as major industrial applications have expanded in a variety of fields. Microemulsions: Properties and Applications provides a complete and systematic assessment of all topics affecting microemulsion performance and discusses the fundamental characteristics, t

Although first described by Winsor in 1954, the chemistry and technology of microemulsions attracts considerable research interest. Until relatively recently, microemulsions were not used in large scale applications as their phase behaviour and microstructure were not well understood and large amounts of surfactant were needed for their formulation. With increased understanding of their behaviour and significantly improved methods for formulating and tuning their properties, microemulsions are becoming increasingly useful in a range of industrial and research applications. Covering both the advances that have enabled improved understanding of microemulsions, and the applications in a range of industrial and research settings, and written by a first class team of contributors, this book will be essential reading for anyone using, or considering using microemulsions in the course of their work. Written for research chemists, technologists and engineers in the fine, specialty chemicals and polymer industries, and those in university or government laboratories, this book will be particularly valuable to those early on in their careers.

Over the last decades, the study of surfactants (detergents, for example) has been profoundly changed by ideas and techniques from physics, chemistry, and materials science. Among these are: self assembly; critical phenomena, scaling, and renormalization; high-resolution scattering, and magnetic resonance spectroscopy. This book represents the first systematic account of these new developments, providing both a general introduction to the subject as well as a review of recent developments. The book will be a very useful tool for the biophysist, biochemist or physical chemist working in the field of surfactants.

Demonstrating methods for overcoming stability issues in paints, wax dispersions, cosmetics, food products, and other industrial applications, this reference probes theoretical and practical issues surrounding microemulsion science and technology. Featuring the work of 51 international experts and containing almost 1000 instructive tables, equations, and illustrations, this book reviews the performance of, and prospects for, experimental methods such as X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), light scattering, small angle neutron scattering, viscosimetry, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to characterize various aspects of the dispersed phase of microemulsions.

Beginning with P.A. Winsor's fundamental hypothesis on a natural interfacial curvature depending on the values of the formulation variables, this unique book shows scientists how to understand the intrinsic structure of these complex systems and their corresponding physical properties... predict how a change in one formulation variable (surfactant structure, oil structure, aqueous phase composition, temperature, etc.) will modify the microemulsion... and systematically formulate microemulsions for individual applications.This book provides a thermodynamic analysis supporting the existence of natural interfacial curvature... compares the behavior of commercial surfactant mixtures and pure isomeric surfactant molecules in order to point out differences and similarities highly significant for various uses... explains how micelles can evolve smoothly and continuously toward solutions containing large quantities of oil and water... gives procedures for fixing quantitative relationships among formulation variables... plus much more.Illustrated with more than 200 diagrams, tables, and photographs, and completely referenced, this superb volume is essential reading for surfactant, colloid, and physical chemists in both academe and industry, as well as chemical engineers, biotechnologists, and petroleum engineers.Contents: 1. The R-Ratio. 2. Aqueous solutions containing amphiphiles. 3. Nonpolar solutions containing amphiphiles. 4. The phase behavior and properties of solutions containing amphiphiles, organic liquids, and water: micellar solutions. 5. Methods for promoting phase changes. 6. Compensating changes between formulation variables. 7. Solubilization. 8. Thermodynamics of solubilized systems.