Ouzo Effect Examined at the Nanoscale via Direct Observation of Droplet Nucleation and Morphology.

ABSTRACT: Herein, we present the direct observation via liquid-phase transmission electron microscopy (LPTEM) of the nucleation and growth pathways of structures formed by the so-called "ouzo effect", which is a classic example of surfactant-free, spontaneous emulsification. Such liquid-liquid phase separation occurs in ternary systems with an appropriate cosolvent such that the addition of the third component extracts the cosolvent and makes the other component insoluble. Such droplets are homogeneously sized, stable, and require minimal energy to disperse compared to conventional emulsification methods. Thus, ouzo precipitation processes are an attractive, straightforward, and energy-efficient technique for preparing dispersions, especially those made on an industrial scale. While this process and

SUBMITTER: Vratsanos MA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10037490 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature