Emulsions are very important in many industries including: oil refinery, cosmetics and food. The stability and properties of the emulsions are determined by the oil/water interface, which can be stabilized with surface-active species, such as surfactants or nanoparticles.  The behavior of these species at the oil/water interface is known to effect emulsion formation and stability and can also be dependent on various other parameters such as concentration, ions, and additional cosurfactants and polymers. This presentation will describe our vibrational sum frequency scattering spectroscopy studies of surface-active species at the emulsion interface with a specific focus on the surfactant AOT.    Its molecular structure, solvation and alkyl chain conformation as measured at the surface of a reverse emulsion particle suspended in an organic solvent, regular emulsion particle suspended in water and at the planar organic/water interface will be discussed as will the effect of counterion and particle size on the interfacial properties.

Molecular characterization of surfactant adsorption at the surface of emulsion particles

249th National Meeting (2015)

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