The conductivity a of a microemulsion series consisting of CTAB + butanol + octane, in which a solution of Al(NO3)(3) 0.8 M + Zn(NO3)(2) 0.4 M was gradually added, was studied at room temperature as a function of its composition phi. The addition of nitrate salts solution took place in four different ratios of (butanol + CTAB):octane = 0.2, 0.4, 0.6 and 0.8. Initially, all those four systems are (water in oil, w/o) microemulsions and the gradual addition of the solution of the nitrate salts transforms them to bicontinuous ones. The conductivity increases gradually, but with different rate in each case, and the corresponding critical exponents at the percolation threshold were determined from the curves sigma = f (phi). Next at three different compositions of microemulsions, corresponding to ratios (butanol + CTAB):octane = 0.4, 0.6 and 0.8 and ratio of the nitrate salts solution x approximate to 0.25, spinels ZnAl2O4 were isolated/prepared. XRD, SEM and N-2 adsorption-desorption measurements were used to determine the structure and texture of those solids. From those measurements the surface area (S-p), the pore volume (V-p), the size of crystallites and the average pore connectivity (c) were found. Those properties showed considerable variation and dependence on the composition of the original microemulsions employed in the preparation, a fact indicating that the structure and texture of the obtained solids can be manipulated at will via the composition of microemulsion used. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.