Classification of emulsions

Classification of Emulsions, Foams, and Suspensions OIL-IN-WATER (OTW) WATER-IN-OIL (W/O)... 

W/O means water-in-oil OAV means oil-in-water. See the section Definition and Classification of Emulsions . 

Definition and Classification of Emulsions. Colloidal droplets (or particles or bubbles), as they are usually defined, have at least one dimension between about 1 and 1000 nm. Emulsions are a special kind of colloidal dispersion one in which a liquid is dispersed in a continuous liquid phase of different composition. The dispersed phase is sometimes referred to as the internal (disperse) phase, and the continuous phase as the external phase. Emulsions also form a rather special kind of colloidal system in that the droplets often exceed the size limit of 1000 nm. In petroleum emulsions one of the liquids is aqueous, and the other is hydrocarbon and referred to as oil. Two types of emulsion are now readily distinguished in principle, depending upon which kind of liquid forms the continuous phase (Figure 2) ... 

Emulsion polymerization requires free-radical polymerizable monomers which form the structure of the polymer. The major monomers used in emulsion polymerization include butadiene, styrene, acrylonitrile, acrylate ester and methacrylate ester monomers, vinyl acetate, acrylic acid and methacrylic acid, and vinyl chloride. All these monomers have a different stmcture and, chemical and physical properties which can be considerable influence on the course of emulsion polymerization. The first classification of emulsion polymerization process is done with respect to the nature of monomers studied up to that time. This classification is based on data for the different solubilities of monomers in water and for the different initial rates of polymerization caused by the monomer solubilities in water. According to this classification, monomers are divided into three groups. The first group includes monomers which have good solubility in water such as acrylonitrile (solubility in water 8%). The second group includes monomers having 1-3 % solubility in water (methyl methacrylate and other acrylates). The third group includes monomers practically insoluble in water (butadiene, isoprene, styrene, vinyl chloride, etc.) [12]. 

Table 4.3 Classification of emulsion elastomers by the International Institute of Synthetic Rubber Producers [3],...

Table 5. Classification of Emulsion Polymerized Synthetic Elastomers by IISRP ...

As a first step in the direction outlined here some manufacturers and BAM last year discussed the problems and the possible procedures of such a system of quality assurance. As a result of this meeting round robin tests for the harmonization of the measurements of film system parameters and a possible procedure of surveillance of the quality of film systems were proposed. Closely related to these the BAM offers to perform the classification of film systems. But as during the production of films variations of the properties of the different batches cannot be avoided, the results of measurements of films of a single batch will be restricted to this charge, while only the measurements and mean of several batches of a film type will give representative values of its properties. This fact is taken into account already in section 4 of the standard EN 584-1 which can be interpreted as a kind of continuous surveillance. In accordance with this standard a film system caimot be certified on the base of measurements of a single emulsion only. 

Classification of the many different encapsulation processes is usehil. Previous schemes employing the categories chemical or physical are unsatisfactory because many so-called chemical processes involve exclusively physical phenomena, whereas so-called physical processes can utilize chemical phenomena. An alternative approach is to classify all encapsulation processes as either Type A or Type B processes. Type A processes are defined as those in which capsule formation occurs entirely in a Hquid-filled stirred tank or tubular reactor. Emulsion and dispersion stabiUty play a key role in determining the success of such processes. Type B processes are processes in which capsule formation occurs because a coating is sprayed or deposited in some manner onto the surface of a Hquid or soHd core material dispersed in a gas phase or vacuum. This category also includes processes in which Hquid droplets containing core material are sprayed into a gas phase and subsequentiy solidified to produce microcapsules. Emulsion and dispersion stabilization can play a key role in the success of Type B processes also. 

A classification of dispersed systems on this basis has been worked out by Pawlow (30) (1910), who introduces a new variable called the concentration of the dispersed phase, i.e., the ratio of the masses of the two constituents of an emulsion, etc. When the dispersed phase is finely divided the thermodynamic potential is a homogeneous function of zero degree in respect of this concentration. 

Creams are semisolid emulsion systems having a creamy appearance as the result of reflection of light from their emulsified phases. This contrasts them with simple ointments, which are translucent. Little agreement exists among professionals as to what constitutes a cream, and thus the term has been applied both to absorption bases containing emulsified water (w/o emulsions) and to semisolid o/w systems, which are physicochemically totally different, strictly because of their similar creamy appearances. Logically, classification of these systems should be based on their physical natures, in which case absorption bases would be ointments and the term cream could be reserved exclusively for semisolid o/w systems, which in all instances derive their structures from their emulsifiers and internal phases. 

Microemulsions represent an intermediate state between micelles and ordinary emulsions, and it is a debatable issue whether or not they should be considered as swollen micelles rather than as small-droplet emulsions. Droplet size, though small, is nonetheless large enough to justify classification as emulsions. On the other hand, the observed thermodynamic stability and reproducibility is uncharacteristic of ordinary emulsions. 

Some possible subdivisions of the field are listed in Table I. We can characterize the type of polymerization process—i.e., mass, suspension, emulsion, etc.—and the type of reactor and how it is operated. The chemical classification of the reaction affects the mathematics as well as the product. The last distinction is between the rate of product formation and the distribution of the products obtained. 

Figure 2.1.4 Procedure for classification of ammonium nitrate emulsions, suspensions or gels... 

The octanol-water partition coefficient for surfactants can not be determined using the shake-flask or slow stirring method because of the formation of emulsions. In addition, the surfactant molecules will exist in the water phase almost exclusively as ions, whereas they will have to pair with a counter-ion in order to be dissolved in octanol. Therefore, experimental determination of K w does not characterize the partition of ionic surfactants (Tolls, 1998). On the other hand, it has been shown that the bioconcentration of anionic and non-ionic surfactants increases with increasing lipophilicity (Tolls, 1998). Tolls (1998) showed that for some surfactants, an estimated log Kow value using LOGKOW could represent the bioaccumulation potential however, for other surfactants some correction to the estimated log Kow value using the method of Roberts (1989) was required. These results illustrate that the quality of the relationship between log Kow estimates and bioconcentration depends on the class and specific type of surfactants involved. Therefore, the classification of the bioconcentration potential based on log Kow values should be used with caution. 

This kind of classification is not always appropriate. For example, O/W/O denotes a multiple emulsion containing oil droplets dispersed in aqueous droplets that are in turn dispersed in a continuous oil phase. The type of emulsion that is formed depends upon a number of factors. If the ratio of phase volumes is very large or very small, then the phase having the smaller volume is frequently the dispersed phase. If the ratio is closer to 1, then... 

This chapter presents a brief review of the rheological classification of fluids and instruments used for viscosity measurements. A discussion of the rheology of suspensions and how it relates to that of emulsions is given. Predictive correlations for emulsion viscosity are discussed in detail. The effect of added solids to an emulsion is fully treated, and its relation to a bimodel system is discussed. 

Another problem involves the classification of these metal-based heterogeneous systems into suspension, dispersion, and emulsion polymerizations similarly to conventional systems. This is due to not only a lack of detailed analysis of reaction mechanisms and particle sizes but also fundamental differences in several aspects such as the locus of initiation and the molecular weight of polymers in comparison with the conventional counterparts. The terms suspension and emulsion will be used in the following sections for simple classification but are not based on the strict definition for conventional free radical systems. 

Most common fluids of simple structure are Newtonian (i.e., water, air, glycerine, oils, etc.). However, fluids with complex structures (i.e., high polymer melts or solutions, suspensions, emulsions, foams, etc.) are generally non-Newtonian. Examples of non-Newtonian behavior include mud, paint, ink, mayonnaise, shaving cream, polymer melts and solutions, toothpaste, etc. Many two-phase systems (e.g., suspensions, emulsions, foams, etc.) are purely viscous fluids and do not exhibit significant elastic or memory properties. However, many high polymer fluids (e.g., melts and solutions) are viscoelastic and exhibit both elastic (memory) as well as nonlinear viscous (flow) properties. A classification of material behavior is summarized in Table 5.1 (in which the subscripts have been omitted for simplicity). Only purely viscous Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids are considered here. The properties and flow behavior of viscoelastic fluids are the subject of numerous books and papers (e.g., Darby, 1976 Bird et al., 1987). 

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