Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and time-resolved synchrotron X-ray diffraction as a function of temperature (XRDT) were combined in a novel way in order to study conditions of formation and the amount of gas clathrate formed in dispersed systems. The formation and dissociation of trichlorofluoromethane hydrate CCl3F center dot(H2O)(17) in a water-in-oil emulsion were followed by using these combined techniques. An emulsion containing 3 wt.% NaCl was submitted to a cooling and heating cycle between 20 and -50 degrees C. During cooling, a single exothermic peak at -43 degrees C, found in DCS thermograms was assigned to the freezing of under-cooled water droplets; however, no noticeable signal related to hydrate crystallisation was detected. Conversely, during subsequent heating, the progressive melting of ice was followed by an endothermic signal indicative of hydrate decomposition. From X-ray diffraction performed on an emulsion sample, it was possible to identify the exact condition of CCl3F.(H2O)(17) formation. XRDT diffraction patterns clearly demonstrated that only ice crystallised in the aqueous droplets during cooling and that the hydrate only formed during heating simultaneously with melting of ice. From the solid-liquid phase diagrams of systems H2O-NaCl and CCl3F-H2O-NaCl and from the DSC and XRDT experiments, the composition of the droplets was deduced. The upper limit of the amount of hydrate that could form in the system was calculated. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.