title: Near-surface structure of a bicontinuous microemulsion with a transition region.
abstract: The lamellar ordering of bicontinuous microemulsions adjacent to a planar hydrophilic wall is investigated experimentally by grazing-incidence small-angle neutron scattering and theoretically by computer simulations. It is shown that precise depth information in neutron scattering can be obtained by tuning the scattering length density of the overall microemulsion. Neutron reflectometry completes the characterization. The nucleation of a lamellar phase at the wall is observed, and a perforated lamellar transition region is identified at the lamellar-microemulsion interface. The thickness of the lamellar region is about 400 Å, which corresponds to two bilayers.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Solid State Research, Neutron Scattering, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, D-52425 Jülich, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kerscher
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Busch
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mattauch
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Frielinghaus
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Richter
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Belushkin
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gompper
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D003102:Colloids / Q000737:chemistry*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004655:Emulsions / Q000737:chemistry*; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D009502:Neutrons; D010825:Physics / Q000379:methods; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D053838:Scattering, Small Angle; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D003102:Colloids; D004655:Emulsions