Electric birefringence of AOT/water solutions

The variation of the Kerr constant versus surfactant concentration in a sol ution of AOT in water was studied. The observed behavior shows changes when aggregates begin to form. allowing to measure the critical micelle concent ration, with results coincident with those obtained through static light sc attering and electric conductivity measurements. For concentrations higher than the critical micellar concentration the birefringence decreases propor tional to the aggregates concentration The micelle contribution to birefrin gence is estimated to be negative. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All right s reserved.