Hydrated Electrons in a Quaternary Microemulsion System: A Pulse Radiolysis Study

Using the technique of pulse radiolysis, hydrated electrons have been produced and studied in quaternary microemulsion (sodium lauryl sulfate (NaLS)/water/cyclohexane/1-pentanol) system. Remarkably high lifetimes ( approximately 20 &mgr;s) for hydrated electrons have been obtained. In general, these are two orders of magnitude higher than those reported earlier in reverse micelles. The water droplet sizes and location of the probes have been determined from the decay kinetics of hydrated electrons. The yields and half-lives (t 1/2 ) of the hydrated electrons vary smoothly as the water droplet sizes are changed. We believe that these studies will be useful not only in interpreting electron transfer reactions occurring in small water pockets in biological systems but also in the production of metal nanoclusters by radiation chemical method.