MICROEMULSIONS IN AMPHIPHILIC AND POLYMER-SURFACTANT SYSTEMS

Microemulsions may have very different microstructures: discrete water or oil droplets and bicontinuous - depending, inter alia, on the surf actant polarity, salinity, temperature, and co-surfactant. A review is given on structure determination of microemulsions of different syste ms and the conditions for occurrence of different structures. Polymer addition may dramatically influence microemulsion stability and struct ure and examples are given for different types of polymers and discuss ed on the basis of mixed solutions of polymers and surfactants in gene ral.