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38

Chapter 3

Abstract

Microemulsions as Nanotemplates:

Template efficacy of microemulsions in generating nanoparticles has garnered considerable attention in the world of colloidal science. A microemulsion is an optically isotropic and thermodynamically stable colloidal dispersion, which possess spherical droplets (either of W/O or O/W) of the size <50 nm. In microemulsions, the spontaneous formation of domains of nanometric dimensions significantly facilitates their exploitation as potential nanoreactors for the production of stable nanoparticles (due to their cost-effectiveness and

microemulsions as efficient nanotemplates, with a detailed account of plausible

nanoparticles, mesoporous silica nanoparticles, solid lipid nanoparticles, nanostructured lipid carriers, etc. Based on the high surface area, good crystallinity, controllable particle size, outstanding catalytic, and magnetic properties, the exploitation of nanoparticles as efficient catalysts and drug delivery modules

Keywords: microemulsions, nanotemplates, metallic nanoparticles, quantum dots, polymeric nanoparticles, mesoporous silica nanoparticles, solid lipid nanoparticles,

Microemulsions are thermodynamically stable, optically isotropic and spontaneously formed colloidal dispersed system of two immiscible liquids (such as oil and

water), which are stabilized by the interfacial film of a surfactant (and cosurfactant) [1]. The formation of microemulsion was first described by Hoar and Shulman in 1943, after observing a spontaneous and well-defined transformation of an opaque emulsion to a transparent solution upon addition of medium chain alcohol (co-surfactant) [2]. However, it was the year 1959, when Shulman et al. [3] coined the term called "microemulsion." A microemulsion is a macroscopically homogeneous system and possesses spherical droplets of the size <50 nm that do not require the higher input of energy and shear reaction conditions, in contrast to conventional emulsions, which are cloudy, kinetically stable and thermodynamically unstable systems [4]. Microemulsions can be considered akin to micellar solutions that solubilize the oil domain into the nonpolar surfactant tail region to

A Soft and Versatile Approach

Rohini Kanwar, Jyoti Rathee, Madhuri Tanaji Patil

ease of preparation). The present chapter provides an overview of

nanomaterials, i.e., metallic nanoparticles, quantum dots, polymeric

and Surinder Kumar Mehta

has also been highlighted.

nanostructured lipid carriers

give stable microstructure.

41

1. Introduction
