Properties and Phase Behavior of Water‐Tween‐Kerosene Microemulsions and Prediction of Their Viscosity

Abstract

AbstractMicroemulsion systems are of interest to researchers due to their low energy requirements and thermodynamic stability in a wide range of applications, including enhanced oil recovery, gas absorption, drug delivery, and chemical reaction environments. In this research, the viscosity of microemulsions was characterized and then predicted. Tween 20 and Tween 80 were used as surfactants and n‐butanol as co‐surfactant. Different types of prepared Winsor microemulsions were described using the phase diagram and then were evaluated regarding their viscosity, particle size, and electrical conductivity. The mean droplet size and viscosity of the microemulsion were 8–200 nm and 10.4–39.1 cp, respectively. Finally, a new equation is suggested to predict microemulsion viscosity as a function of the ratio of the dispersed phase fraction to the surfactant fraction.