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Journal of Physical Chemistry, Vol.98, No.46, 12097-12102, 1994
Dispersion Morphology Diagrams for 3-Phase, Microemulsion Emulsions .2. Disappearance of Morphology-Transition Lines
The limits over which the oil-rich top phase (T) middle-phase microemulsion (M), or water-rich bottom phase (B) is the continuous phase in steady-state, three-phase macroemulsions have been determined by means of electrical conductivity measurements for the amphiphile/oil/"water" system C6H13(OC2H4)(2)OH/n-tetradecane/aqueous 10 mM NaCl. Measurements were made at three different temperatures and apparent wettability conditions : (a) 45 degrees C, wetting middle phase; (b) 25 degrees C, no wetting phase; and (c) 12 degrees C, wetting bottom phase. The results at 25 degrees C were in accord with expectations from previous predictions and experiments; but for both two-phase and three-phase :emulsions no abrupt, "first-order" transitions between M- and T-continuous emulsions at 45 degrees C or between M- and B-continous emulsions at 12 degrees C were found. Instead, these changes of continuous phase appeared to occur smoothly and continuously between their respective single-phase and two-phase limits. It is not yet clear if the "disappearance" of first-order morphology transitions correlates with phase wettability transitions; the phenomenon suggests the possibility of bicontinuous two-phase and three-phase macroemulsions.