Rod reversed micelles with mixtures of optimized surfactants and hydrotropes

Contrast variation SANS will be used to study structures of reversed micelles in cyclohexane, and in particular to reveal effects of hydrotrope addition for promotion and growth of cylindrical micellar aggregates. This equilibrium study represents the first stage of a broader project, which will involve future high pressure/temperature and shear SANS experiments, aimed at understanding the recently discovered role of reversed micelles in lubricants. This is the first stage in a new 3.5-year PhD program to develop optimized lubricant fluids, and Georgina Moody is a 1st year PhD student, fully funded by Infineum.