Emulsions - Improve emulsion stability

6 important questions on Emulsions - Improve emulsion stability

How can creaming or sedimentation be slowed?

  1. Increasing the viscosity of the continuous phase or give a yield stress by using a thickening agent (polysaccharide). The thickening agent increases the thickness of the liquid film and inhibits drainage.
  2. Decreasing the size of the droplets (more vigorous stirring). Will inhibit creaming, but aggregation and coalescence can still occur.
  3. Changing the densities of the continuous and dispersed phase (density matching).

How can flocculation be slowed?

Increasing the electrostatic or steric repulsion between droplets.

How can coalescence be slowed down?

Formation of strong interfacial films. Protein or Pickering stabilised interfaces give stronger films than interfaces by low molecular weight surfactants.
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How can Ostwald ripening be slowed?

  • Using oil with lower solubility in the continuous phase
  • Preparing emulsions with a narrow size distribution

How can a polysaccharide be added to the interface by layer-by-layer adsorption?

The emulsion is first prepared. Proteins will carry a certain charge (pH) dependent. Oppositely charged polysaccharide is added. Electrostatic interaction --> interaction protein and polysaccharide.

How can a polysaccharide be added to the interface by pre-formed protein/polysaccharide mixtures?

Before the emulsion is prepared, oppositely charged polysaccharides and proteins are mixed.
  • Smaller complexes (50-100 nm)
  • Larger coacervates (> 100 nm)

Diffuse to the interface as one entity. Diffusion will be slower. Coacervates sometimes too large to provide any emulsification or foaming ability.

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