Comparison of the Composition and Structural Parameters of W/O Microemulsions Containing Gemini Imidazoliums with Those Containing Monomeric Analogues

The composition and structural parameters of W/O microemulsions containing the gemini surfactant 1,4‐bis(3‐alkylimidazolium‐1‐yl) butane bromide (C_n‐4‐C_n)Br₂, n = 12, 14, 16] + pentan‐1‐ol + octane + water and W/O microemulsions containing the ionic liquid surfactant 1‐alkyl‐3‐methylimidazolium (C_nmimBr, n = 12, 14, 16) + pentan‐1‐ol + octane + water were studied and compared. The mole fractions of the n‐alkyl alcohol at the interfacial layer in (C_n‐4‐C_n)Br₂ based microemulsion systems are always larger than those in C_nmimBr based microemulsion systems. However, the mole fractions of the n‐alkyl alcohol in the oil phase are nearly the same for both the microemulsion systems. The (C_n‐4‐C_n)Br₂ based microemulsion systems have greater absolute values of the free enthalpy values than that for C_nmimBr based systems. In the (C_n‐4‐C_n)Br₂ based microemulsion systems, a large number of cosurfactants at the interfacial layer is conducive to the formation of a smaller droplet W/O microemulsion. The effects of n‐alkyl alcohols, alkanes, salinity and temperature on the composition and structural parameters of the (C_n‐4‐C_n)Br₂ based and C_nmimBr based microemulsion systems were also investigated and discussed.