MICROEMULSIONS - PHASE-EQUILIBRIA CHARACTERIZATION, STRUCTURES, APPLICATIONS AND CHEMICAL-REACTIONS

The progress in understanding microemulsion structure on a molecular l evel as well as from extensive experimental studies of phase diagrams is reviewed. in this respect the studies involve both ionic and nonion ic surfactants. Structures discussed involve the hard sphere model, th e bicontinuous model, sponge phases and the flexible surface model. Th e progress in spectroscopic techniques (like NMR and TDS) together wit h scattering techniques, when applied to microemulsion systems, is als o briefly discussed. Technical applications of microemulsions involve general applications as cleaning systems, fuels and in the field of cr ude oil exploitation. The last topic summarizes the use of the systems in EOR, acidizing and transport. The major emphasis of the review is in the utilization of microemulsions as systems in chemical reactions. These reactions involve preparation of inorganic particles, polymeriz ation of organic monomers together with preparation of both organic an d inorganic complexes and clusters. Enzyme catalyzed reactions involvi ng the enzymes lipase, trypsin, alpha-chymotrypsin and alcohol dehydro genase in different microemulsions are also summarized.