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Formation and characterization of ordered bicontinuous microemulsions
Anna Kogan1, Deborah E Shalev, Uri Raviv
1Casali Institute of Applied Chemistry, The Institute of Chemistry, and Wolfson Centre for Applied Structural Biology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 91904 Jerusalem, Israel.
The Journal of Physical Chemistry. B
|September 2, 2009
Summary
Researchers created ordered bicontinuous microstructures in a water-dilutable microemulsion. These unique structures, formed via specific oil blends, show potential for drug and nutraceutical delivery.
Area of Science:
- Physical Chemistry
- Materials Science
- Colloid Science
Background:
- Nonionic microemulsions are versatile systems for various applications.
- Understanding phase transitions is crucial for controlling microstructure formation.
- Ordered bicontinuous phases offer unique properties between microemulsions and liquid crystals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize and characterize ordered bicontinuous microstructures in a novel pseudoternary nonionic microemulsion.
- To investigate the factors influencing the formation and properties of these unique mesophases.
- To explore the potential of these structures for delivery applications.
Main Methods:
- Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS)
- Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy (self-diffusion and quantum filtered)
- Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC)
- Rheology measurements
- Electrical conductivity
- Dynamic light scattering (DLS)
Main Results:
- A unique ordered bicontinuous mesophase was formed during the dilution of a triacetin/d-alpha-tocopherol acetate/ethanol/Tween 60 concentrate.
- This phase exhibits properties of both microemulsions (transparency, stability) and liquid crystals (short-range order, non-Newtonian flow).
- Bicontinuous structures formed upon heating from a low-temperature lamellar phase, driven by the amphiphilic nature of the oil blend acting as cosurfactants.
Conclusions:
- The amphiphilic oil blend (d-alpha-tocopherol acetate and triacetin) is key to forming ordered bicontinuous structures by altering surfactant packing.
- These ordered bicontinuous microemulsions possess unique characteristics distinct from traditional microemulsions and liquid crystals.
- The discovered microstructures hold promise for advanced drug and nutraceutical delivery systems.
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