Formation of multiple water-in-ionic liquid-in-water emulsions.

Abstract Emulsions composed of an ionic liquid (IL) 3-methyl-1-octylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate, water, and surfactant TX-100 (poly(ethylene glycol)- tert -octylphenyl) were studied by laser confocal scanning microscopy, stability determination and electrical conductivity. Multiple water-in-ionic liquid-in-water (W/IL/W) emulsions were formed around water volume fractions ∼0.70. Further studies showed that the W/IL/W multiple emulsions were formed through an inversion between water-in-IL emulsion and IL-in-water emulsion.