TRANSPORT CHARACTERISTICS OF MICROEMULSIONS

The dependence of transport characteristics (kinematic viscosity, cond uctivity, diffusion coefficient) of microemulsions in the octane/water /pentanol/sodium dodecyl sulfate system on the volume fraction of wate r (PHI) was studied by viscosimetry, conductometry, and photon correla tion spectroscopy The percolation character of the specific conductivi ty of microemulsions is revealed; the conductivity and geometrical per colation thresholds are determined. The known percolation models of mi croemulsions and the dependence of the specific conductivity on the mo st probable dimension of microdrops are discussed. A cellular model of the microemulsion studied is proposed and its validity is shown in th e region of comparatively low PHI values above the conductivity percol ation threshold.