Dilution method study on the interfacial composition, thermodynamic properties and structural parameters of W/O microemulsions stabilized by 1-pentanol and surfactants in absence and presence of sodium chloride

The phase behaviors, interfacial composition, thermodynamic properties and structural characteristics of water-in-oil microemulsions under varied molar ratio of water to surfactant (omega) at 303 K and also by varying temperatures at a fixed omega(=40) by mixing with 1-pentanol and decane or dodecane in absence and presence of sodium chloride have been studied by the method of dilution. The surfactants used were cetyl pyridinium chloride (CPC), sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and polyoxyethylene (23) lauryl ether (Brij-35). The compositions of 1-pentanol and the surfactant at the interfacial region, the distribution of 1-pentanol between the interfacial region and the continuous oil phase, and the effective packing parameter (P(eff)) at the threshold level of stability have been estimated. The thermodynamics of transfer of 1-pentanol from the continuous oil phase to the interface have been evaluated. The structural parameters viz. radii of the droplet (R(e)) and the waterpool (R(w)), effective thickness of the interfacial layer (d(I)), average aggregation numbers of surfactants (N (s)) and the cosurfactant (1-pentanol) (N (a)) and the number of droplets (N(d)) have also been estimated. The prospect of using these w/o microemulsions for the synthesis of nanoparticles with small size, have been discussed in the light of the radii of the droplet, and waterpool, the extent of variation of effective thickness of the droplet under varied molar ratio of water to surfactant and temperature. An attempt has been made to rationalize the results in a comprehensive manner.     

Physicochemical studies on cetylammonium bromide and its modified (mono-, di-, and trihydroxyethylated) head group analogues. Their micellization characteristics in water and thermodynamic and structural aspects of water-in-oil microemulsions formed with them along with n-hexanol and isooctane

The micellization behavior of cetylammonium bromide and its mono-, di-, and trihydroxyethylated head group analogues and water/oil (w/o) microemulsion formation with them have been studied with detailed thermodynamic and structural considerations. The critical micellar concentration, micellar aggregation number, and behavior of the surfactants at the air/solution interface have been studied in detail. The results have been analyzed and discussed. The formation of the w/o microemulsion stabilized by the aforesaid surfactants in conjunction with the cosurfactant n-hexanol in isooctane has been investigated by the dilution method. The energetics of the transfer of cosurfactant from oil to the interface has been estimated. The structural parameters, namely, droplet dimension, droplet number, and population of surfactant and cosurfactant on the droplet surface, have also been estimated. The efficacy of the surfactants in respect to water dispersion in oil and cosurfactant concentration level at the oil/water interface has been worked out. Such microemulsions are prospective compartmentalized systems to assist enzyme activities. In this respect, the trihydroxyethylated head group analogue in the above series has been found to be a better performer for the preparation and stabilization of microemulsions that has correlated well with its performance than the others in the hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl-n-hexanoate by the enzyme Chromobacterium viscosum lipase.     

Phase behavior, interfacial composition and thermodynamic properties of mixed surfactant (CTAB and Brij-58) derived w/o microemulsions with 1-butanol and 1-pentanol as cosurfactants and n-heptane and n-decane as oils

Phase diagrams of pseudo-quaternary systems of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)/polyoxyethylene(20)cetyl ether (Brij-58)/water/1-butanol (or 1-pentanol)/n-heptane (or n-decane) at fixed omega (=[water]/[surfactant]) of 55.6 were constructed at different temperatures (293, 303, 313, and 323 K) and different mole fraction compositions of Brij-58 (X(Brij-58)=0, 0.5, and 1.0 in CTAB + Brij-58 mixture). Pure CTAB stabilized systems produced larger single-phase domains than pure Brij-58 stabilized systems. Increasing temperature increased the single-phase domain in the Brij-58 stabilized systems, whereas the domain decreased in the CTAB stabilized systems. For mixed surfactant systems (with X(Brij)=0.5) negligible influence of temperature in the studied range of 293 to 323 K on the phase behavior was observed. Interfacial compositions of the mixed microemulsion systems at different temperature and different compositions were evaluated by the dilution method. The n(a)(i) (number of moles of alcohol at the interface) and n(a)(o) (number of moles of alcohol in the oil phase) determined from dilution experiments were found to decrease and increase respectively for CTAB stabilized systems, whereas an opposite trend was witnessed for Brij-58 stabilized systems. The energetics of transfer of cosurfactants from oil to the interface were found to be exothermic and endothermic for CTAB and Brij-58 stabilized systems, respectively. At equimolar composition of CTAB and Brij-58, the phase diagrams were temperature insensitive, so that the enthalpy of the aforesaid transfer process was zero.     

A Visible Spectroscopic Study of Microstructure of O/W Microemulsions of Anionic Surfactants: Effect of Cosurfactant

The microstructure of o/w microemulsions, stabilized by sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) with different cosurfactants, has been studied by partitioning of a dye, phenol red, between the oil‐water interface and bulk water. The cosurfactants used are propan‐1‐ol, propan‐2‐ol, butan‐1‐ol, butan‐2‐ol, pentane‐1‐ol, pentane‐2‐ol, and pentan‐3‐ol. The effects of changing the oil volume fraction and surfactant‐cosurfactant w/w ratio on the oil‐water interface and droplet size have also been discussed. Larger droplet size was predicted for SDS than SDBS. The predicted droplet radius increased with increase in the oil fraction, decrease in the surfactant concentration, increase in the C‐number of the linear cosurfactant, and decrease in branching of the cosurfactant. Surfactant‐cosurfactant ratio and pH did not affect the droplet size significantly. The minimum concentrations of surfactants with which microemulsions were formed were found to be higher for larger oil fraction, smaller C‐number of the alcohol, more branching of the alcohol, and higher pH.     

Interfacial Behavior,Structure, and Thermodynamics of Water in Oil Microemulsion Formation in Relation to the Variation of Surfactant Head Group and Cosurfactant

Interfacial behavior, structural, and thermodynamic parameters in relation to the formation of water-in-oil (w/o) microemulsion (μE) with varied surfactant head groups and cosurfactants have been evaluated through dilution technique at different temperature and [water]/[surfactant] mole ratio. Dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB), sodium dodecylsulphate (SDS), and polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate (Tween-20) were used as surfactants and n-butanol and n-pentanol were used as cosurfactants. Distribution of cosurfactants between bulk oil and the interface using fixed amount of surfactant at varied [water]/[surfactant] mole ratio and temperature has been studied to evaluate thermodynamic parameters. Associated structural parameters, such as droplet dimension and aggregation number of surfactant and cosurfactant at the droplet interface, have also been evaluated. Spontaneity of the μE formation followed the order DTAB>SDS>Tween-20 for both butanol and pentanol in the studied range of temperature. Correlations of the results in terms of the evaluated physicochemical parameters have been attempted.     

Physicochemical investigations of microemulsification of eucalyptus oil and water using mixed surfactants (AOT+Brij-35) and butanol

Microemulsification of a vegetable oil (eucalyptus) with single and mixed surfactants (AOT and Brij-35), cosurfactant of different lipophilicities (isomers of butanol), and water were studied at different surfactant and cosurfactant mixing ratios. The phase diagrams of the quaternary systems were constructed using unfolded and folded tetrahedron, wherein the phase characteristics of different ternary systems can be underlined. The microemulsion zone was found to be dependent upon the mixing ratios of surfactant and cosurfactant; the largest microemulsion zone was formed with 1:1 (w/w) S:CS. The effects of temperature and additives (NaCl, urea, glucose, and bile salts of different concentrations) on the phase behavior were examined. The mixed microemulsion system showed temperature insensitivity, whereas the Brij-35 (single) stabilized system exhibited a smaller microemulsion zone at elevated temperature. NaCl and glucose increased the microemulsion zone up to a certain concentration, beyond which the microemulsion zones were decreased. These additives decreased the microemulsion zones as temperature was increased. The effect of urea on microemulsion zone was found to be insignificant even at the concentration 3.0 mol dm(-3). Little effect on microemulsion zone was shown by NaC (sodium cholate) at 0.25 and 0.5 mol dm(-3) at different temperatures. The conductance of the single (AOT) and mixed microemulsion system (AOT+Brij-35) depends upon the water content and mixing ratios of the surfactants, and a steep rise in conductance was observed at equal weight percentages of oil and water. Viscosities for both single (AOT) and mixed (AOT+Brij-35) surfactant systems passed through maxima at equal oil and water regions showing structural transition. The viscosities for microemulsion systems increased with increasing Brij-35 content in the AOT+Brij-35 blend. Conductances and viscosities of different monophasic compositions in the absence and presence of additives (NaCl and NaC) were measured at different temperatures. The activation energy of conduction (DeltaE(cond)( *)) and the activation enthalpy for viscous flow (DeltaH(vis)( *)) were evaluated. It was found that both DeltaE(cond)( *) and DeltaH(vis)( *) were a function of the nature of the dispersion medium. Considering the phase separation point of maximum solubility, the free energy of dissolution of water or oil (DeltaG(s)(0)) at the microdispersed state in amphiphile medium was estimated and found to be a function of surfactant composition.     

Interfacial composition, structural parameters and thermodynamic properties of water-in-oil microemulsions

The formation and structural characteristics of water-in-oil microemulsions comprising hexadecylpyridinium chloride (CPC), alkanols (C₄–C₆) and alkanes (C₅, C₈–C₁₀) have been investigated by the method of dilution. The compositions of the surfactant and the cosurfactant in the interfacial region (interphase) of the microemulsion droplets have been determined. The thermodynamics of transfer of the cosurfactants (alkanols) from the continuous oil (alkane) phase to the interface have been evaluated from dilution measurements at different temperatures. The structural parameters, radii of the droplet and the waterpool, aggregation numbers of CPC and the alkanols in the interphase of a droplet, and the nanoparticle density of solution have been estimated assuming monodispersity of the droplets. The thermodynamics and structural parameters have been examined in terms of the chain lengths of the alkanols and alkanes. Received: 12 September 2000 Accepted: 27 October 2000     

Interfacial Composition,Thermodynamic Properties,and Structural Parameters of [bmim][BF4] + Cetyltrimethylammonium Bromide + Alkanol+Toluene Microemulsions

The interfacial composition, thermodynamic properties and structural characteristics of [bmim][BF₄] + CTAB + alkanol + toluene microemulsions were studied by the method of dilution under varied temperatures (298 K, 308 K, 318 K). The compositions of surfactant and cosurfactant at the interfacial region, the distribution of cosurfactant between the interfacial region and the continuous oil phase have been estimated. The thermodynamics of transfer of cosurfactant from the continuous oil phase to the interface have been evaluated. The structural parameters viz. radii of the droplet (R _e) and the ionic liquid pool (R _IL), the thickness of the interfacial layer (l), the number of droplets (N _d) have also been estimated assuming monodispersity of the spherical droplets.     

Solubilization and phase equilibria of water-in-oil microemulsions : II. Effects of alcohols, oils, and salinity on single-chain surfactant systems

The solubilization and phase equilibria of w/o microemulsions have been shown to be dependent on two phenomenological parameters, namely the spontaneous curvature and elasticity of the interfacial film, when interfacial tension is very low. The spontaneous curvature of an interface is basically determined by the geometric packing of surfactant and cosurfactant molecules at the interface, whereas the interfacial elasticity is related to the energy required to bend the interface. The droplet size and solubilization of microemulsions is mainly determined by the radius of spontaneous curvature, and is further influenced by interfacial elasticity and interdroplet interactions. A w/o microemulsion with a highly curved and relatively rigid interfacial film can exist in equilibrium with excess water at the solubilization limit due to the interfacial bending stress. Increasing the natural radius and fluidity of the interface can increase the droplet size and hence the solubilization in the microemulsion. On the other hand, a w/o microemulsion with a highly fluid interfacial film can exist in equilibrium with an excess oil phase containing a low density of microemulsion droplets due to attractive interdroplet interaction. Increasing the interfacial rigidity and decreasing the natural radius in this case can increase water solubilization in the microemulsion by retarding the phase separation process. Thus, a maximum water solubilization in a w/o microemulsion can be obtained by minimizing both the interfacial bending stress of rigid interfaces and the attractive interdroplet interaction of fluid interfaces at an optimal interfacial curvature and elasticity. The study of phase equilibria of microemulsions can serve as a simple method to evaluate the property of the interface and provide phenomenological guidance for the formulation of microemulsions with maximum solubilization capacity.     

Interfacial composition, thermodynamic properties and structural parameters of water-in-oil microemulsions stabilized by 1-pentanol and mixed anionic + polyoxyethylene type nonionic surfactants

The interfacial composition $ \left( {n_a^i} \right) $ , thermodynamic properties and structural parameters of the stable water/(SDS + Brij-58 or Brij-78)/1-pentanol/heptane (or decane or isopropyl myristate) have been evaluated under various physicochemical environments by the dilution method. The results showed $ n_a^i $ values increase with increasing water content (ω?=?[water]/[surfactant]) for all the systems, whereas reverse trend was observed for (SDS/Brij-58)/heptane-derived system. The spontaneity of the transfer process of 1-pentanol from bulk oil to the interface $ \left[ { - \Delta G_t^0} \right] $ decreases with increase in ω for all the systems. The effective binding between 1-pentanol and surfactant(s) at the interface follows the order: SDS/Brij-78/IPM < SDS/Brij-58/IPM < SDS/Brij-78/Hp(or, Dc) < SDS/Brij-58/Hp(or, Dc), which corroborates well with the degree of spontaneity of the transfer process. The Gibbs free energy change $ \left( {\Delta G_t^0} \right) $ , standard enthalpy change $ \left( {\Delta H_t^0} \right) $ and standard entropy change $ \left( {\Delta S_t^0} \right) $ have been found to be dependent on ω, type of nonionic surfactant and its content (X_nonionic), oil and temperature, because of the interdependence of the partition equilibrium of Pn between bulk oil and the interface, and strong adsorption of both surfactants at the interface. Synergism in $ \Delta G_t^0 $ and $ \left[ {{{\left( { - \Delta C_P^0} \right)}_t}} \right] $ (standard specific heat change) is evidenced at equimolar composition of SDS and Brij-58 in both oils at all temperatures and advocates more favorable applications for the synthesis of nanoparticles and the modulation of enzyme activity. The radius of water pool (R_w) was very sensitive to the increment of water content and tuned up by the addition of Brijs, which followed the order with decreasing size: IPM < Dc < Hp.     

Analysis of interfacial and micellar behavior of sodium dioctyl sulphosuccinate salt (AOT) with zwitterionic surfactants in aqueous media

The interfacial and bulk properties of mixtures of the anionic surfactant (dioctyl sulphosuccinate sodium salt, AOT) with zwitterionic surfactants 3-(N,N-dimethyldodecylammonio) propane sulfonate (DPS), 3-(N,N-dimethyltetradecylammonio) propane sulfonate (TPS), 3-(N,N-dimethylhexadecylammonio) propane sulfonate (HPS) have been studied employing surface tension, fluorescence, and viscometric techniques in aqueous media at 25 °C. It is observed that these mixtures exhibit synergism and these synergistic interactions increase with the enhancement of the hydrocarbon chain of the zwitterionic surfactant. The various physicochemical properties such as critical micelle concentration (cmc), surface excess concentration (Г(max)), minimum area per molecule (A(min)), aggregation number (N(agg)), interaction parameters (β(σ), β(m)), and thermodynamic parameters such as standard Gibbs free energy of adsorption (ΔG(ads)(o)), excess free energy of micellization (ΔG(ex)), and standard Gibbs free energy of micellization (ΔG(m)(o)) have been evaluated. The negative values of ΔG(m)(o) and ΔG(ads)(o) show that the micelle formation and adsorption of surfactant at the air/solution interface is energetically favorable, while a negative value of ΔG(ex) ensures stability of the mixed micelles formed. The Regular Solution Approximation, Motomura and Rosen's approaches have been used to explain and compare the results. The packing parameter (p) ensures the formation of vesicles or bilayers for AOT+DPS/TPS mixtures, which can potentially be used as delivery agents for industrial applications.     

Structural and spectroscopic investigation of ZnS nanoparticles grown in quaternary reverse micelles

ZnS nanoparticles were synthesized in four component "water in oil" microemulsions formed by a cationic surfactant (cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, CTAB), a cosurfactant (pentanol or butanol), n-hexane and water. The effect of various parameters (nature of cosurfactant, water/surfactant W(0), and alcohol/surfactant P(0)) on the formation and stability of ZnS nanoparticles was investigated thoroughly. UV-Vis spectroscopy was employed to directly follow the formation of ZnS systems in the microemulsions. Thus, particle size was estimated from the position of the first excitonic transition by employing an approximate finite-depth equation and an empirical correlation, giving average diameters in the ranges 2.3-2.5 and 3.0-3.5nm, respectively. Stable ZnS nanoparticles were obtained by employing low water and high cosurfactant amounts. This suggests that at high concentration the cosurfactant molecules act as capping agents on the surface of the inverse micelles, while low water amounts are needful to obtain water droplets with a radius close to that of the interfacial film spontaneous curvature. HRTEM analysis showed that the samples are formed by a few crystalline ZnS nanoparticles of spherical shape, embedded in and amorphous organic matrix, with a coherent scattering domain between 2 and 4nm.     

MICROEMULSION SYSTEMS WITH A NONIONIC COSURFACTANT

The conditions to obtain W/0 microemulsions using ionic surfactants and a nonionic cosurfactant, a polyoxyethylene alkyl ether, were investigated. The length of the polyoxyethylene chain was critical to obtain the typical water solubilization maximum

The variation of the W/0 microemulsion region with hydrocarbon content was different from that of the usual type of microemulsions having a medium chain length alcohol as cosurfactant. In the present systems the W/0 microemulsion region was not a direct continuation of the inverse micellar area at zero content of hydrocarbon. Addition of hydrocarbon was necessary for the formation of inverse micelles

The microemulsion regions were sensitive to the kind of hydrocarbon used; a sign of the importance of the nonionic surfactant for the stability of this kind of microemulsions.     

Physicochemical investigations of anionic–nonionic mixed surfactant microemulsions in nonaqueous polar solvents: I. Phase behavior

Phase behaviors of AOT/heptane (Hp)/formamide (FA), ethylene glycol (EG), propylene glycol (PG), triethylene glycol (TEG) and glycerol (GLY) have been investigated in the absence and presence of a nonionic surfactant, polyoxyethylene(2) cetyl ether (Brij-52) at 303 K. The phase characteristics of (AOT+Brij-52)/Hp/(EG or PG or TEG) have been found to be different from that of AOT/Hp/FA systems in respect of both the area of monophasic domain and the appearance of other mesophases. The area of monophasic domain of (AOT+Brij-52)/Hp/EG depends on the content of Brij-52 (X _Brij-52) and shows a maximum at X _Brij-52=0.4. A negligible effect on the area of the monophasic domain has been shown by more hydrophobic surfactants, polyoxyethylene(2) stearyl ether (Brij-72) and polyoxyethylene(2) oleyl ether (Brij-92). The effect of oils (dodecane and hexadecane) on the mixed systems stabilized by (AOT+Brij-52) in EG has been investigated. The area of monophasic domain has been found to be dependent on the type of nonaqueous solvents and follows the order GLY>EG>PG>TG. A systematic investigation on the measurement of phase volumes of mixed surfactant systems [AOT+nonionic surfactant(s)] stabilized in oils of different chain lengths (heptane, dodecane and hexadecane) and polar solvent (EG) has been carried out at different compositions of the ingredients to identify the phase transitions of these systems as a function of X _Brij-52. The threshold point of phase transition (both W I→W IV and W IV→W II transitions) has been found to be a function of the configuration of added nonionic surfactant, nature of the polar solvent and oil. The conversion of the initial oil/EG droplets into EG/oil droplets with increasing X _nonionic has been facilitated for hydrophobic surfactants polyoxyethylene(4) lauryl ether (Brij-30), Brij-52, and Brij-72 in comparison to the hydrophilic surfactants polyoxyethylene(10) cetyl ether (Brij-56) and polyoxyethylene(20) cetyl ether (Brij-58).     

Super-efficient surfactant for stabilizing water-in-carbon dioxide microemulsions

The fluorinated double-tailed glutarate anionic surfactant, sodium 1,5-bis[(1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyl)oxy]-1,5-dioxopentane-2-sulfonate (8FG(EO)(2)), was found to stabilize water-in-supercritical CO(2) microemulsions with high water-to-surfactant molar ratios (W(0)). Studies were carried out here to obtain detailed information on the phase stability and nanostructure of the microemulsions by using a high-pressure UV-vis dye probe and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) measurements. The UV-vis spectra, with methyl orange as a reporter dye, indicated a maximum attainable W(0) of 60 at 45 and 75 °C, and SANS profiles indicated regular droplet swelling with a linear relationship between the water core nanodroplet radius and W(0). This represents the highest water solubilization reported to date for any water-in-CO(2) microemulsion. Further analysis of the SANS data indicated critical packing parameters for 8FG(EO)(2) at the microemulsion interface >1.34, representing approximately 1.1 times the value for common aerosol-OT in water-in-heptane microemulsions under equivalent conditions.     

The origin of thermodynamic stability of microemulsions

The adsorption of surfactant and cosurfactant on the surface of the globules decreases the interfacial tension between oil and water to very low values. In addition, the decrease of the bulk concentrations of the surfactant and cosurfactant decreases their chemical potential both in the bulk and at the interface, thus decreasing the free energy of the system (dilution effect). The thermodynamic stability of microemulsions is due to the fact that the total free energy change caused by these effects can become negative. The theory can explain the occurence of stable microemulsions for both non-ionic and ionic surfactants.     

烷基芳基磺酸盐分子量及其分布对微乳液结构参数及热力学函数的影响

用稀释法求得了由自制的7种烷基芳基磺酸盐复配体系(AAS)/正丁醇/正癸烷/水组成的W/O型微乳液的结构参数,还求得了醇从油相转移到界面时的标准自由能,并计算出标准焓变和标准熵变。探讨了烷基芳基磺酸盐平均分子量及其分布对结构参数及热力学函数的影响。结果表明,分散相有效半径Re,内核水半径Rw,二者之差di和表面活性剂分子在每个液滴中的平均聚集数n值均呈现为正态分布<递减分布<均匀分布<递增分布<反正态分布;分散相颗粒总数Nd和分散相界面外层总面积Ad值均呈现为正态分布>递减分布>均匀分布>递增分布>反正态分布;-ΔG0o→i值呈现为正态分布(5.36 kJ/mol)<递减分布(5.49 kJ/mol)<均匀分布(5.64 kJ/mol)<递增分布(5.78 kJ/mol)<反正态分布(6.01 kJ/mol);ΔS0o→i值呈现为正态分布(26.88 J/(mol.K))<递减分布(27.12 J/(mol.K))<均匀分布(27.60 J/(mol.K))<递增分布(28.06 J/(mol.K))<反正态分布(29.23 J/(mol.K));Rw、Re、n、di、-ΔG0o→i、ΔH0o→i和ΔS0o→i值均随磺酸盐平均分子量的增大而增大;Nd、Ad值均随磺酸盐平均分子量的增大而减小;且在实验范围内,结构参数、-ΔG0o→i、ΔS0o→i与磺酸盐平均分子量均呈线性关系;后两者分别为y=0.0586x-17.916,y=0.2203x-61.275。     

Structure of salted-out, solubilized micelles and microemulsions on the perfluorinated anionic surfactant tetraethylammonium perfluorooctyl sulfonate studied by cryogenic transmission electron microscopy

 Tetraethylammonium perfluorooctyl sulfonate (TEAFOS; critical micelle concentration, 1 mM), which forms a threadlike micelle in its pure solution, was adopted to study the structure of salted-out, solubilized micelles and microemulsions by cryogenic transmission electron microscopy. The concentration of the surfactant was kept constant at 60 mM. The micelle solution salted out with LiNO₃ provided a surfactant phase in the presence of a clear interface. The surfactant phase was studded, being formed of homogeneously dispersed spherical micelles, and had no obvious threadlike forms. The micelles, which solubilized the maximum amount of perfluorinated oil, were spherical and had the same size as isolated spherical micelles in pure TEAFOS solution. The microemulsions were formed in the presence of perfluorinated alcohol as cosurfactant and the particles were rotund even when the concentration of the perfluorinated oil was equivalent to that for solubilization and the sizes increased with increasing oil content. The difference in size between the solubilized micelles and microemulsions with the same amount of oil suggested that the oil molecules had been solubilized between palisades of perfluorinated alkyl chains in the micelles and had dissolved in the cores of the microemulsions. Received: 10 September 1999/Accepted: 2 December 1999     

Background and operating parameters in microemulsion electrokinetic chromatography

Microemulsion electrokinetic chromatography (MEEKC) is an electrodriven separation technique. Separations are generally achieved using microemulsions consisting of surfactant-coated nanometer-sized oil droplets suspended in aqueous buffer. A cosurfactant such as a short-chain alcohol is generally used to stabilize the microemulsion. This review summarizes the various microemulsion types and compositions that have been used in MEEKC. The effects of key-operating variables such as surfactant type and concentration, cosurfactant type and concentration, buffer pH and type, oil type and concentration, use of organic solvent and cyclodextrin additions, and temperature are described. Specific examples of water-in-oil microemulsions and chirally selective separations are also covered.     

Recent advances in microemulsion electrokinetic chromatography

Microemulsion electrokinetic chromatography (MEEKC) is an electrodriven separation technique. Separations are typically achieved using oil-in-water microemulsions, which are composed of nanometre-sized droplets of oil suspended in aqueous buffer. The oil droplets are coated in surfactant molecules and the system is stabilised by the addition of a short-chain alcohol cosurfactant. The novel use of water-in-oil microemulsions for MEEKC separations has also been investigated recently. This report summarises the different microemulsion types and compositions used to-date and their applications with a focus on recent papers (2002-2004). The effects of key operating variables (pH, surfactant, cosurfactant, oil phase, buffer, additives, temperature, organic modifier) and methodology techniques are described.