Struture in temperature-insensitive microemulsions

The extreme temperature (T) and pressure (P) conditions found in modern internal combustion engines (ICEs) complicate studies of surfactants and additives in lubrication oils, since accessing these conditions is experimentally challenging. As widely reported in literature (1-7), surfactant systems form stable microemulsions that can be de-stabilised by changing factors, such as T, P, composition, or salinity. Previous research shows that by mixing non-ionic and anionic surfactants it is possible to reduce the T-sensitivity of microemulsions (8-11). The goal is to expand T-sensitivity studies as a means of overcoming the effects of T and P for reversed micelle (RM) and microemulsion (ME) systems, particularly for the harsh conditions found in ICEs. The results will improve understanding about surfactant synergism at oil-water interfaces, and also provide input data for Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations in collaboration with Prof P. Camp (Edinburgh). Ilona Serafin is a final year PhD student, fully funded by Infineum