Structural evolution of a two-component organogel
Document Type
Article
Date of Original Version
8-31-2004
Abstract
Dry reverse micelles of AOT in isooctane spontaneously undergo a microstructural transition to an organogel upon the addition of a phenolic dopant, p-chlorophenol. This microstructural evolution has been studied through a combination of light scattering, small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), NMR, and rheology. Several equilibrium stages between the system of dry reverse micelles of AOT and a 1:1 AOT/p-chlorophenol (molar ratio) gel in isooctane have been examined. To achieve this, p-chlorophenol is added progressively to the dilute solutions of AOT in isooctane, and this concentration series is then analyzed. The dry micelles of AOT in isooctane do not undergo any detectable structural change up to a certain p-chlorophenol concentration. Upon a very small increment in the concentration of p-chlorophenol beyond this "threshold" concentration, large strandlike aggregates are observed which then evolve to the three-dimensional gel network.
Publication Title, e.g., Journal
Langmuir
Volume
20
Issue
18
Citation/Publisher Attribution
Singh, Mohit, Grace Tan, Vivek Agarwal, Gerhard Fritz, Karol Maskos, Arijit Bose, Vijay John, and Gary McPherson. "Structural evolution of a two-component organogel." Langmuir 20, 18 (2004): 7392-7398. doi: 10.1021/la0493870.