Form fluctuations of polymer loaded spherical microemulsions studied by neutron scattering and dielectric...

We investigate the structure and shell dynamics of the droplet phase in water/AOT/octane microemulsions with polyethyleneglycol (MW = 1500) molecules loaded in the droplets. Size and polydispersity of the droplets is determined with small angle X-ray scattering and small angle neutron scattering experiments. Shell fluctuations are measured with neutron spin echo spectroscopy and related to the dynamic percolation seen in dielectric spectroscopy. Shell fluctuations are found to be well described by the bending modulus of the shell and the viscosities inside and outside the droplets. Addition of the polymer decreases the modulus for small droplets. For large droplets the opposite is found as percolation temperature shifts to higher values.