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.