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Precision-engineered nanomaterials: unlocking the potential of water-in-oil microemulsions for the controlled synthesis, morphology design, and future innovations

  • Trishna Mandal was born in 1999 in West Bengal, India. She completed her B.Sc. (Hons. In Chemistry) from Gour Mahavidyalaya, Malda, in 2019. She completed her M.Sc in Chemistry from Gour Banga University, Malda, in 2021. She is currently working as a research scholar under the supervision of Prof. Bidyut Saha in the Department of Chemistry, Burdwan University, West Bengal, India.

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    Sk Mehebub Rahaman was born in 1996 in West Bengal, India. He received his B.Sc. (Hons. in Chemistry) from Burdwan Raj College in 2017. He completed his M.Sc. from the University of Burdwan in 2019. He is currently working as an SRF under the supervision of Prof. Bidyut Saha in the Department of Chemistry, University of Burdwan, WB, India. His research work is on W/O microemulsion mediated synthesis of nanoparticles and use of these synthesised particles in Pickering emulsion formulation. He has published 19 research articles, 4 book chapters and 1 review article.

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    Kripasindhu Karmakar was born in Gunnath, Bankura, West Bengal, India. He completed his M.Sc. from Pondicherry University and is currently working under the supervision of Prof. Bidyut Saha, Dept. of Chemistry, University of Burdwan. He has published more than 30 papers in internationally reputed journals.

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    Prafullya Kumar Mudi is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry, University of Burdwan, India. He received his Ph.D. degree from the University of North Bengal, Darjeeling 734013, West Bengal, India in 2022.

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    Bidyut Saha is a Full Professor in the Department of Chemistry at The University of Burdwan, India. He obtained his PhD from Visva-Bharati University, India, in 2007. From 2009 to 2010, he was a visiting scientist at the Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia (UBC), Vancouver, Canada. He has been recognized among the World’s Top 2% Scientists by Stanford University for the years 2023 and 2024 in the field of Chemical Physics. He is also a Fellow of The Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC, London). His research team focuses on the bioremediation of toxic metals, microemulsions, micellar catalysis, chemical kinetics, and metallogels. He currently serves as an Editor, Associate Editor, and Editorial Board Member for several reputed journals.

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Published/Copyright: April 15, 2025
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Tenside Surfactants Detergents
From the journal Tenside Surfactants Detergents Volume 62 Issue 3

Abstract

Nanomaterials with precisely controlled size and shape have attracted considerable attention over the past two decades due to their diverse applications in pharmaceuticals, oil recovery, energy production and storage, wastewater treatment, and advanced magnetic devices. Among the various synthesis techniques, water-in-oil (W/O) microemulsions have emerged as a superior strategy for the preparation of nanoparticles with well-defined morphology and minimal aggregation. These self-assembled colloidal dispersions act as nanoscale reactors, offering exceptional control over nanoparticle growth and structural evolution. This review critically examines the role of W/O microemulsions in tailoring nanoparticle size, geometry, and crystallinity by modulating key physicochemical parameters such as surfactant architecture, cosurfactant-to-surfactant molar ratio, and water-to-surfactant molar ratio. The influence of surfactant head group charge, hydrophobic tail length, and cosurfactant selection on nanoparticle synthesis is systematically analyzed, highlighting the versatility of anionic, cationic, and nonionic surfactants. Despite significant progress, critical gaps remain, including the underutilization of ionic liquid-based microemulsions and the limited exploration of amines as cosurfactants. Additionally, the potential of biosurfactants as sustainable alternatives for nanoparticle synthesis remains largely untapped. By consolidating extensive research findings, this review provides a comprehensive framework for optimizing W/O microemulsion systems and offer valuable insights for future advances in nanomaterial synthesis and applications.

Keywords: water-in-oil (W/O) microemulsion; nanoparticle; surfactant; cosurfactant; controlled synthesis; morphology design
Corresponding authors: Sk Mehebub Rahaman and Prof. Bidyut Saha, Colloid Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, The University of Burdwan, Golapbag, Burdwan, 713104, West Bengal, India, E-mail: (M. Rahaman), (B. Saha)

Funding source: Swami Vivekananda Merit Cum Means Scholarship (SVMCM)

About the authors

Trishna Mandal

Trishna Mandal was born in 1999 in West Bengal, India. She completed her B.Sc. (Hons. In Chemistry) from Gour Mahavidyalaya, Malda, in 2019. She completed her M.Sc in Chemistry from Gour Banga University, Malda, in 2021. She is currently working as a research scholar under the supervision of Prof. Bidyut Saha in the Department of Chemistry, Burdwan University, West Bengal, India.

Sk Mehebub Rahaman

Sk Mehebub Rahaman was born in 1996 in West Bengal, India. He received his B.Sc. (Hons. in Chemistry) from Burdwan Raj College in 2017. He completed his M.Sc. from the University of Burdwan in 2019. He is currently working as an SRF under the supervision of Prof. Bidyut Saha in the Department of Chemistry, University of Burdwan, WB, India. His research work is on W/O microemulsion mediated synthesis of nanoparticles and use of these synthesised particles in Pickering emulsion formulation. He has published 19 research articles, 4 book chapters and 1 review article.

Kripasindhu Karmakar

Kripasindhu Karmakar was born in Gunnath, Bankura, West Bengal, India. He completed his M.Sc. from Pondicherry University and is currently working under the supervision of Prof. Bidyut Saha, Dept. of Chemistry, University of Burdwan. He has published more than 30 papers in internationally reputed journals.

Prafullya Kumar Mudi

Prafullya Kumar Mudi is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry, University of Burdwan, India. He received his Ph.D. degree from the University of North Bengal, Darjeeling 734013, West Bengal, India in 2022.

Bidyut Saha

Bidyut Saha is a Full Professor in the Department of Chemistry at The University of Burdwan, India. He obtained his PhD from Visva-Bharati University, India, in 2007. From 2009 to 2010, he was a visiting scientist at the Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia (UBC), Vancouver, Canada. He has been recognized among the World’s Top 2% Scientists by Stanford University for the years 2023 and 2024 in the field of Chemical Physics. He is also a Fellow of The Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC, London). His research team focuses on the bioremediation of toxic metals, microemulsions, micellar catalysis, chemical kinetics, and metallogels. He currently serves as an Editor, Associate Editor, and Editorial Board Member for several reputed journals.

Acknowledgments

T.M. acknowledges govt. of West Bengal for providing the Swami Vivekananda Merit Cum Means Scholarship (SVMCM).

  1. Research ethics: Not applicable.

  2. Informed consent: Not applicable.

  3. Author contributions: T.M. and S.M.R prepared the main manuscript. T.M., N.K., A.P. prepared the figures and tables. K.K. and P.K.M. revised the manuscript. B.S. provided the concept of preparing of the manuscript and revised the manuscript.

  4. Use of Large Language Models, AI and Machine Learning Tools: None declared.

  5. Conflict of interest: There are no conflicts to declare.

  6. Research funding: Swami Vivekananda Merit Cum Means Scholarship (SVMCM).

  7. Data availability: Data will be available on request.

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Received: 2025-02-13
Accepted: 2025-03-22
Published Online: 2025-04-15
Published in Print: 2025-05-26

© 2025 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Review Article
  3. Precision-engineered nanomaterials: unlocking the potential of water-in-oil microemulsions for the controlled synthesis, morphology design, and future innovations
  4. Micellar Catalysis
  5. Oxidation of l-tyrosine by diperiodatocuprate(III) in CPC micellar medium, facilitated by Ru(III)
  6. A comprehensive spectral study of dye-surfactant complex formation by Xylenol Orange with selective aqueous micellar media of CPC, rhamnolipids and saponin
  7. Physical Chemistry
  8. Preparation of polyoxyethylene(n) monodehydroabietates and their physicochemical properties
  9. Surface modification of synthetic montmorillonite as thickener: rheological behavior and tribological properties at high load and high temperature
  10. Drug Delivery System
  11. Exploring fatty acid-amino acid conjugate for the development of self-assembling, pH-sensitive vesicles for targeted anticancer drug delivery
  12. Novel Sufactants
  13. Double headed alkyl triazole glycosides – alternatives for APGs with increased hydrophilicity part 1: synthesis and physicochemical properties
  14. Synthesis and defoaming properties of two sulfonate surfactants from trisiloxane
  15. Application
  16. Criteria for a surfactant to be used sequentially as a grinding aid and collector
  17. Chitosan/hydroxyapatite biomimetic material loaded with Curcuma longa L. essential oil
https://doi.org/10.1515/tsd-2025-2664
Keywords for this article
water-in-oil (W/O) microemulsion; nanoparticle; surfactant; cosurfactant; controlled synthesis; morphology design

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Review Article
  3. Precision-engineered nanomaterials: unlocking the potential of water-in-oil microemulsions for the controlled synthesis, morphology design, and future innovations
  4. Micellar Catalysis
  5. Oxidation of l-tyrosine by diperiodatocuprate(III) in CPC micellar medium, facilitated by Ru(III)
  6. A comprehensive spectral study of dye-surfactant complex formation by Xylenol Orange with selective aqueous micellar media of CPC, rhamnolipids and saponin
  7. Physical Chemistry
  8. Preparation of polyoxyethylene(n) monodehydroabietates and their physicochemical properties
  9. Surface modification of synthetic montmorillonite as thickener: rheological behavior and tribological properties at high load and high temperature
  10. Drug Delivery System
  11. Exploring fatty acid-amino acid conjugate for the development of self-assembling, pH-sensitive vesicles for targeted anticancer drug delivery
  12. Novel Sufactants
  13. Double headed alkyl triazole glycosides – alternatives for APGs with increased hydrophilicity part 1: synthesis and physicochemical properties
  14. Synthesis and defoaming properties of two sulfonate surfactants from trisiloxane
  15. Application
  16. Criteria for a surfactant to be used sequentially as a grinding aid and collector
  17. Chitosan/hydroxyapatite biomimetic material loaded with Curcuma longa L. essential oil
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