Abstract: | The formation of a so-called water/oil (W/O)-microemulsion (AOT/isooctane/water) was followed by light scattering and ultracentrifuge measurements. With increasing weighed-in water concentrations the microemulsion is stabilized by repeated aggregational processes of micelles containing water due to a decrease of the free interfacial enthalpy. This process conforms very satisfactorily to a model describing an adsorption of surfactants at the water/hydrocarbon interface resulting from dipole-image dipole interactions. |