Biological microemulsions V: mutual mixing of oils, amphiphiles and water in ternary and quaternary combinations.

The mixing behaviour of plant oils (ricebran, saffola and clove) with water in presence of amphiphiles (Triton X-100, Tween-60, Aerosol OT, Igepal, Na-oleate, ethanol and cinnamic alcohol) in various ternary and quaternary combinations has been studied. The phase behaviour at different mass proportions and temperature has been investigated in the absence and presence of additives such as NaCl, glucose, urea and cholesterol. Of all the combinations studied, those with ethanol plus sodium oleate as amphiphile have shown maximum extent of single phase microemulsion formation. The presence of urea in the aqueous medium has further increased the monophasic extent whereas NaCl has decreased it. Cholesterol in oil and glucose in water have apparently shown inert effects. The effects of the additives on the formation of biphasic or triphasic formulations, on the other hand, have been found to be distinct and well-dependent on [H2O]/[amphiphile] mole ratio and temperature. Spectral measurements of I3- in the aqueous micropool in microemulsion of clove oil/(ethanol + Na-oleate)/water have shown the microenvironment to be physicochemically different from bulk water.