Complex Emulsion Inversion Pattern Associated with the Partitioning of Nonionic Surfactant Mixtures in the Presence of Alcohol Cosurfactant

Commercial ethoxylated nonionic surfactant mixtures containing alcohol cosurfactant exhibit a three-phase behavior whose formulation strongly varies with the water/oil ratio. As a consequence, a change in water/oil ratio can result in a sequence of up to three different emulsion inversion processes, through a combination of formulation and composition effects.