Dynamics of Phase Separation of Binary Fluid Mixtures in the Presence of Surfactants

ABSTRACTThe dynamics of phase separation of binary fluid mixtures in the presence of surfactants is studied via molecular dynamics simulations. In contrast to phase separation in pure binary fluid mixtures, which is characterized by an algebraic time dependence of the average domain size, mixtures containing surfactants exhibit nonalgebraic slow dynamics. At very late times, the average domain size saturates at a value inversely proportional to the surfactant concentration. Despite the fact that these systems only microphase separate, a dynamical scaling was observed at late times.