Formation enthalpies of water-o-xylene-triton X-100 microemulsions at 298.15 K

The heat effects of dissolution of water-o-xylene-Triton X-100 microemulsions and their components in 2-propanol at 298.15 K are determined by the thermochemical method. The thermochemical cycle was employed to calculate the formation enthalpies of the microemulsions and to demonstrate that they are negative and that their absolute values decrease when passing from water-in-oil to oil-in-water microemulsions. The data obtained suggest that intense interactions between the components in the systems under examination promote the formation of thermodynamically stable microemulsions.