RESEARCH ARTICLE

Journal of Oil Palm Research Vol. 7 No. 2, December 1995, p. 148-155

VEGETABLE OIL IN AQUEOUS AND NONAQUEOUS MICROEMULSION SYSTEMS STABILIZED BY NONIONIC SURFACTANTS

HAMDAN, S*; LAILI, C R+; KUANG, E*; SALINA, S*

ABSTRACT

Nonionic microemulsions with a palm oil-based emollient, i.e. medium chain triglyceride, MCT, stabilized by two nonionic surfactants were investigated in both aqueous and nonaqueous (glycerol and formamide) systems. The results showed the presence of aqueous (or non-aqueous)-in-MCT microemulsions in all the systems investigated. MCT-in-aqueous (or nonaqueous) microemulsions were also observed except the glycerol system. In addition, the results also indicated that the solubilization behaviour encountered in the aqueous and nonaqueous systems investigated was dependent on the surfactant ratio.

KEYWORDS:


* Chemistry Department

+ Centre of Matriculation Studies,
Universiti Pertanian Malaysia,
43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.