(219g) Watching the Formation of “Nanoemulsions” From Microemulsions – Attempts Using Cryo-TEM Direct Imaging

?Nanoemulsions? are dilute, monodisperse, micelles swollen with very insoluble oils; under certain circumstances, they can be made conveniently by the fast dilution of microemulsions. However, it is not systematically understood how the success of synthesis and the resultant size and polydispersity is affected by the starting microemulsion structure or composition, the presence of liquid crystals or the addition cosurfactants. In an attempt to resolve some of the issues raised by conductivity and scattering experiments reported in the literature, we are examining model processes with direct imaging cryo-electron microscopy. We are quenching intermediates in the formation process to try to understand at the molecular level what characterizes successful synthesis of nanoemulsions.