Wettability model for predictions of three-phase emulsion morphologies in ternary amphiphile/oil/water systems

To predict morphologies of three-phase emulsions, we proposed a model which was based on the wettability among the three equilibrium phases. It was tested with emulsions in the ternary amphiphile/oil/water system and compared the results to those by literature models. For the 2-(2-hexyloxyethoxy)ethanol (C6E2)/n-tetradecane/water system, the three models yielded almost the same results and they appeared to be of equal power in predicting the morphologies of three-phase emulsions. However, the model proposed in this article was simpler and more convenient to use because the model was based solely on wetting phenomena observed by visual inspection. Furthermore, the validity of the model was well perceived when it was tested for the 2-butoxyethanol (C4E1)/n-decane/water system. The predictions by the model were in excellent agreement with the experimental conductometry results.