Critical behaviors in the two-phase region of a micellar solution

Abstract

This work investigates the critical behavior of a micellar solution pentaethylene glycol-mono-n-dodecyl ether (${\mathrm{C}}_{12}$ ${\mathrm{E}}_5$)+water when the critical mixing point is approached within the two-phase region. The coexistence curve with exponent β≃(1/4) and light scattering measurements in the two coexisting phases are reported. The temperature dependence of the isothermal osmotic compressibility and the correlation length in the two coexisting phases have been found to obey power laws which disagree with those expected for the mean-field theory and also for the three-dimensional Ising-like model.