Effects of Concentration and Conformation of Surfactants on Phase Separation of Surfactant-Water-Oil Systems

The effects of surfactants on the phase separation of surfactant-water-oil systems have been investigated by using discontinuous molecular dynamic simulations. The phase separation speed and equilibrium configuration are dependent on the surfactant concentration and conformation. The equilibrium concentration of surfactants at the interface remains constant. With the increasing surfactant concentration, the equilibrium configuration crosses over from the disperse phase to the bicontinuous one. The crossover concentration is estimated. The conformation of the surfactant has little effect on the equilibrium concentration of surfactants at the interface, while it affects the equilibrium configuration after phase separation.