A Comparison Study on the Phase Behavior and Solubilization between Cn(Bim)2-2Br-Butyric Acid and CnmimBr-Butyric Acid Microemulsion Systems

Abstract

AbstractThe solubility, interfacial composition and solubilization ability of microemulsions containing gemini 1,4-bis(3-alkylimidazolium-1-yl) butane bromide [Cn(Bim)2-2Br]/butyric acid were studied and compared with that of microemulsions containing 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium (CnmimBr)/butyric acid. The solubilities of butyric acid (SA), and the mass fractions of butyric acid in the interfacial layer(AS) decrease, while the solubilization parameters (SP*) increase with the increase in the carbon chain length of the surfactants in Cn(Bim)2-2Br based and CnmimBr based microemulsions. A comparison of the gemini Cn(Bim)2-2Br microemulsions with CnmimBr microemulsions indicates that the values of SA and AS are in the order: Cn(Bim)2-2Br < CnmimBr, while SP* values are Cn(Bim)2-2Br > CnmimBr. With salinity increasing, the values of SA and AS decrease, while SP* values increase. With the increase in the alkyl chain length of the oil molecules, the SA values increase, AS and SP* values decrease. Temperature has less influence on the values of SA, AS and SP* of microemulsions containing Cn(Bim)2-2Br/butyric acid.