THERMAL-ANALYSIS OF PHASE-TRANSITIONS IN MICROEMULSIONS

Differential scanning microcalorimetric measurements on phase transiti ons in water-oil-surfactant mixtures are presented, demonstrating that this method is highly sensitive towards small heat changes connected with structural transitions in the samples. The values for the latent heat of phase transitions are determined and the results are compared with predictions from mean field theory, emphasizing the role calorime tric experiments can play to identify the most important contributions to the free energy describing the mixtures. Doing this, the present s tatus of the understanding of temperature dependent phase transitions in microemulsions is reviewed.