Abstract
The saddle-splay modulus K¯ of a surfactant monolayer determines the stability of a spherical droplet microemulsion phase. Negative values of K¯ increase the droplet-size polydispersity, but inhibit shape fluctuations. Large values of the observed polydispersity may therefore not be indicative of small values of the bending modulus K, but of a ratio of K¯/K∼-2.

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