Percolative phenomena in lecithin reverse micelles: the role of water

Abstract

The role played by the solvation water molecules on the macroscopically observed sol–gel transition in lecithin/cyclohexane/water reverse micelles is investigated by quasielastic neutron scattering, dielectric relaxation and conductivity measurements. The experimental results are juxtaposed to those from spherical Aerosol OT reverse micelles. It is shown how the results from lecithin-based system can be interpreted only assuming that, in contrast to Aerosol OT systems, the water molecules are entrapped at the interfaces without coalescing into an inner water pool. It is suggested that, in the case of lecithin, the solvation water can induce a change in the surface curvature, in such a way promoting the formation of branch points. Such a hypothesis is supported by the temperature dependence of the conductivity which agrees with the hypothesis of an intermicellar bond percolation. The investigation of the structures imposed by an external electric field is also studied. The observed electrorheological behaviour seems to confirm the existence of a percolated transient network in the gel phase.