Cylinder to sphere transition in reverse microemulsions: the effect of hydrotropes

Abstract

The effect of hydrotropes on the geometry of reverse water-in-oil AOT-microemulsions is investigated as a function of water content, and hydrotrope additive architecture. SANS reveals that hydrotropes induce cylindrical morphologies which transition to ellipsoidal and then spherical geometries with increasing water content (w). The length of the elongated particles appeared to show some dependence on the hydrotrope-AOT tail compatibility, which is also reflected in the phase behaviour of these systems. This is the first report of hydrotrope-induced axial elongation of water microemulsions in the oil phase.