SURFACTANT ADSORPTION AT LIQUID-LIQUID INTERFACES COMPARISON OF EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS WITH SELF-CONSISTENT-FIELD LATTICE CALCULATIONS AND MOLECULAR-DYNAMICS SIMULATIONS

A comparison of experimental data with self-consistent field lattice c alculations and molecular dynamics simulations has shown that the latt er two approaches are able to predict in a qualitative sense the relat ion between the structure of a surfactant and its interfacial tension at an oil/water interface. Micelles can also be observed in the simula tions and in the self-consistent field calculations. Advantages and di sadvantages of the simulations and the self-consistent field calculati ons are discussed and it is concluded that current theoretical models provide reasonable descriptions of complex colloidal systems.