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Updated: Oct 29, 2025
Microtensiometer for Confocal Microscopy Visualization of Dynamic Interfaces
Published on: September 9, 2022
Bursting the bubble: A molecular understanding of surfactant-water interfaces
Christopher P Baryiames1, Paul Garrett1, Carlos R Baiz1
1Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin, 105 E 24th St. Stop A5300, Austin, Texas 78712-1224, USA.
Abstract:
Surfactant science has historically emphasized bulk, thermodynamic measurements to understand the microemulsion properties of greatest industrial significance, such as interfacial tensions, phase behavior, and thermal stability. Recently, interest in the molecular properties of surfactants has grown among the physical chemistry community. This has led to the application of cutting-edge spectroscopic methods and advanced simulations to understand the specific interactions that give rise to the previously studied bulk characteristics. In this Perspective, we catalog key findings that describe the surfactant-oil and surfactant-water interfaces in molecular detail. We emphasize the role of ultrafast spectroscopic methods, including two-dimensional infrared spectroscopy and sum-frequency-generation spectroscopy, in conjunction with molecular dynamics simulations, and the role these techniques have played in advancing our understanding of interfacial properties in surfactant microemulsions.
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