A lattice gas model for microemulsions

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Abstract
A decorated lattice gas model is described which exhibits a transition from the phase-separated to the homogeneous state as the concentration of a surfactant is changed, in agreement with observed microemulsion behaviour. The model also has ordered mesophase regions for suitable concentrations. When direct surfactant interactions are neglected the model can be mapped onto an Ising model with effective interactions depending on the surfactant concentration. A binary liquid type of phase diagram with 'renormalized Ising indices near the critical point in the constant-temperature plane is predicted. It is suggested that microemulsions should be treated as systems with coupled ordered parameters, the underlying binary liquid scalar being coupled to a vector-like surfactant interacting with the density gradients. The role of surfactant-surfactant interactions and long range interactions are discussed briefly from this point of view

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