The Physicochemical Properties of a Nonaqueous Microemulsion: Cyclohexane/Triton® X-100/Dimethylformamide at 40 °C

The phase diagram of a nonaqueous microemulsion system containing cyclohexane/Triton® X-100/DMF was determined at 40 °C. The one-phase microemulsion area increased in the presence of a cosurfactant. Physical properties like viscosity, adiabatic compressibility, specific conductance, and contact angle are discussed at a surfactant concentration of 15% to explain the microstructure. A cyclohexane/TX 100+1-propanol/DMF system shows percolation, though not high, with ca. 0.15 mole fraction of DMF. Contact angle measurements of cyclohexane/TX 100/DMF at various cyclohexane/DMF ratios show a DMF continuous system. In the presence of a cosurfactant, the contact angle values show a continuous change indicating an 0/DMF to bicontinuous to DMF/0 structure. NaI does not introduce a three-phase liquid system.