| Issue |
J. Phys. II France
Volume 2, Number 2, February 1992
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Page(s) | 235 - 247 | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/jp2:1992127 | |
J. Phys. II France 2 (1992) 235-247
Statistical mechanics of random bicontinuous phases
P. Pieruschka and S. MarceljaDepartment of Applied Mathematics, Institute of Advanced Studies, The Australian National University, Canberra, A.C.T. 2601, Australia
(Received 10 July 1991, accepted 22 October 1991)
Abstract
We consider a random wave description of bicontinuous microemulsions, where the structure is specified by a correlation length
and a preferred wave vector
k0. The entropy of the system is calculated as the information content of a random field with an experimentally determined spectral
distribution. Together with the elastic energy which has been previously derived by Teubner, we can minimise the free energy
of the system and thus estimate the value of the elastic modulus
of the film. For example, in water - toluene - SDS/butanol microemulsions the parameters
and
k0 obtained from fits to the neutron scattering data lead to values for
of about two units of
kT.
05.40 - 62.20D - 82.65D
© Les Editions de Physique 1992