Partial molar volume measurements are used to investigate how water molecular structure and interactions varies in nanoconfined spaces. The experiments are performed in AOT reverse micelles wherein the size of the water droplet and the relative proportion of interfacial water can be easily controlled by the simple formulation ratio w0. Partial molar volume measurements of water in reverse micelles are relatively few; however, some have suggested novel structural changes in the liquid water domain occurring at w0values in the 9-13 range. [Langmuir 2000,  16, 3633-3635]  Because this observation does not correlate well with other determinations of water properties in AOT reverse micelles, our research will investigate these changes using three different approaches to measuring partial molar volume: via a technique we are developing that uses dynamic light scattering measurements of reverse micelle diameter, via bulk density measurements, and also via traditional solution methods. Experiments are performed over a range of reverse micelle size in order to assess the effect of nano-confinement on water interactions.

Partial molar volume measurements of water molecular interactions in AOT reverse micelles

245th National Meeting (2013)

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