Ostwald ripening of alkane in water emulsions stabilized by sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate

The Ostwald ripening of alkane in water emulsions stabilized by the anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS) was investigated. For emulsions prepared under high-shear conditions in a microfluidizer, ripening rates do not depend on the micellar surfactant concentration. The aging process is due to the molecular transport of alkane through the continuous phase, and there is no significant contribution from a transport mechanism by the micelles. When micellar surfactant solutions are added to an already formed emulsion, the Ostwald ripening process is not affected, confirming the fact that the micelles do not contribute to the transport of alkane molecules.