Reverse micellar systems, nanometer-sized

Synthesis of Nanometer-Sized Silica by Controlled Hydrolysis in Reverse Micellar Systems... 

Sodium bis(2-ethylhejQ l) sulfosuccinate (AOT), which can solubilize a relatively large amount of water [116], was selected as the sulfactant for the reverse microemulsion system. An aqueous FeCIa solution was added into an AOT/ apolar solvent mixture at room temperature. Subsequently, cylindrical reverse micelles, soft templates for the fabrication of nanotubular structures, were generated [117]. AOT micelles are generally a few nanometers in size in the absence of water. However, the addition of water dramatically increases the average aggregation number of the reverse micelles and thus the hydrod mamic radius of the aqueous micellar core increases [118]. 

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