Preferential solubilization of dodecanol from dodecanol-limonene binary oil mixture in sodium dihexyl sulfosuccinate microemulsions: effect on optimum salinity and oil solubilization capacity.

Solubilization of dodecanol-limonene binary oil mixtures has been studied in saturated Winsor type I and III sodium dihexyl sulfosuccinate microemulsions. The systems showed different oil solubilization behavior below and above dodecanol volume fraction 0.2. Below 0.2 dodecanol volume fraction regular Winsor type microemulsions formed. The oil solubilization was characterized in this concentration range by the optimum salinity and the maximum characteristic length. Dodecanol showed Langmuirian-type surface excess adsorption at the vicinity of the surfactant layer. Variation of the optimum salinity and middle phase characteristic length with increasing dodecanol concentration could be linked to changes in the dodecanol surface excess. These relationships were used to develop new mathematical models for the optimum salinity and characteristic length as a function of oil phase composition. Both models yield excellent agreement with the data. Above dodecanol volume fraction 0.2 regular Winsor type III microemulsions are not formed. Therefore our new models are not applicable in this concentration range.