Vibrational Energy Transfer Across a Reverse Micelle Surfactant Layer

Abstract

In a suspension of reverse micelles, in which the surfactant sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate (AOT) separates a water nanodroplet from a bulk nonpolar CCl 4 phase, ultrafast vibrational spectroscopy was used to study vibrational energy transfer from the nanodroplet through the AOT interfacial monolayer to the surrounding CCl 4 . Most of the vibrational energy from the nanodroplet was transferred to the polar AOT head group within 1.8 picoseconds and then out to the CCl 4 within 10 picoseconds. Vibrational energy pumped directly into the AOT tail resulted in a slower 20- to 40-picosecond transfer of energy to the CCl 4 .