The Relaxation Behavior of Water Confined in AOT-Based Reverse Micelles Under Temperature-Induced Clustering

Relaxation behavior of water confined in reverse micelles under temperature-induced micelle clustering is undertaken using broadband dielectric spectroscopy in frequency range 1 Hz-20 GHz. All microemulsion systems with sufficiently noticeable micelle water pool (water/surfactant molar ratio <i>W</i> > 10) depict three relaxation processes, in low, high and microwave frequencies, anchoring with relaxation of shell (bound) water, orientation of surfactant anions at water-surfactant interface and relaxation of bulk water confined in reverse micelles. The analysis of dielectric relaxation processes in AOT-based w/o microemulsions under temperature induced clustering of reverse micelles were made according to structural information obtained in NMR and conductometry experiments. The "wait and switch" relaxation mechanism was applied for the explanation of results for water in the bound and bulk states under spatial limitation in reverse micelles. It was shown that surfactant layer predominantly influences the bound water. The properties of water close to AOT interface are determined by strong interactions between water and ionic AOT molecules, which perturb water H-bonding network. The decrease in micelle size causes a weakening of hydrogen bonds, deformation of its steric network and reduction in co-operative relaxation effects.