FT-IR SPECTROSCOPIC STUDIES ON WATER-STRU CTURE IN MICROEMULSION WITHNONIONIC SURFACTANT

The microstructural characteristics of water/AEO(9)/hexadecane/hexanol microemulsion have been investigated by FT-IR spectroscopy. The broad peaks obtained for water OH and the ethereous bands have been resolve d by the Gaussian curve fitting program and the peak intensity and pea k area corresponding to each peak have been particularly analyzed. It has been observed that the aqueous core of the microemulsion droplet w as composed of trapped and free water while a small amount of water re mained bound in the interface. When the microemulsion is vigorously sh aken, the trapped water will increase while bound water will decrease. That is because the water molecules on the surfactant surface have es caped.