  Contact experiments have been performed between an onion lamellar phase and
brine, in the SDS/octanol/brine system. Using video microscopy we have studied
the nonequilibrium behaviour of the swelling and dissolution process of onions.
Experiments at T=20degC and 30degC showed that temperature has a strong effect
on their bahaviour. At low temperature onions are observed to diffuse away from
the onion phase and only swell slightly. However by increasing the temperature
we induce the formation of the sponge phase at the onion/brine interface.
Onions that initailly swell then dissolve into sponge phase expel a stable core
which moves to the micellar phase and remains stable there. Over a longer
period of time (several days) we have also observed coalescence leading to the
formation of large onions of up to 100microns in diameter. These huge onions
have a radial distribution of domains, or solvent cavities, within them.
