Physicochemical investigations of microemulsification of eucalyptus oil and water using mixed surfactants (AOT + Brij-35) and butanol

Abstract

Microemulsification of a vegetable oil (eucalyptus) with single and mixed surfactants (AOT and Brij-35), cosurfactant of different lipophilicities (isomers of butanol), and water were studied at different surfactant and cosurfactant mixing ratios. The phase diagrams of the quaternary systems were constructed using unfolded and folded tetrahedron, wherein the phase characteristics of different ternary systems can be underlined. The microemulsion zone was found to be dependent upon the mixing ratios of surfactant and cosurfactant; the largest microemulsion zone was formed with 1:1 (w/w) S:CS. The effects of temperature and additives (NaCl, urea, glucose, and bile salts of different concentrations) on the phase behavior were examined. The mixed microemulsion system showed temperature insensitivity, whereas the Brij-35 (single) stabilized system exhibited a smaller microemulsion zone at elevated temperature. NaCl and glucose increased the microemulsion zone up to a certain concentration, beyond which the microemulsion zones were decreased. These additives decreased the microemulsion zones as temperature was increased. The effect of urea on microemulsion zone was found to be insignificant even at the concentration 3.0 mol dm −3. Little effect on microemulsion zone was shown by NaC (sodium cholate) at 0.25 and 0.5 mol dm −3 at different temperatures. The conductance of the single (AOT) and mixed microemulsion system (AOT + Brij-35) depends upon the water content and mixing ratios of the surfactants, and a steep rise in conductance was observed at equal weight percentages of oil and water. Viscosities for both single (AOT) and mixed (AOT + Brij-35) surfactant systems passed through maxima at equal oil and water regions showing structural transition. The viscosities for microemulsion systems increased with increasing Brij-35 content in the AOT + Brij-35 blend. Conductances and viscosities of different monophasic compositions in the absence and presence of additives (NaCl and NaC) were measured at different temperatures. The activation energy of conduction ( Δ E cond ∗ ) and the activation enthalpy for viscous flow ( Δ H vis ∗ ) were evaluated. It was found that both Δ E cond ∗ and Δ H vis ∗ were a function of the nature of the dispersion medium. Considering the phase separation point of maximum solubility, the free energy of dissolution of water or oil ( Δ G s 0 ) at the microdispersed state in amphiphile medium was estimated and found to be a function of surfactant composition.