Emulsifier mechanisms

For the majority of these droplets to coalesce with dilution water, some method of dilution shearing and dispersion will be required, much the same as initial emulsifying mechanical actions Many methods have been used for water injection and mixing over the years. These have ranged from uinply pumping water through a tee connection into the oil stream,... 

The emulsifieation mechanism has been suggested to work by either of two methods. The first is by forming an emulsion, whieh becomes mobile and later trapped in downstream pores. The emulsion bloeks the pores, which thereby diverts flow and increases sweep efficiency. The seeond meehanism is by again forming an emirlsion, whieh beeomes mobile and carries oil droplets that it has entrained to downstream production sites. 

Sinomal KS Sinomal M Sinomal ML emulsifier, mechanical cleaners... 

The basic constituents of all commercial emulsion polymerization recipes are monomers, emulsifiers, and polymerization initiators. Other common components are modifiers, inorganic salts and free alkaH, and shortstops. The function of these different components and the mechanism of emulsion polymerization have been described (43,44). 

Styrene—butadiene latexes generally are quite stable mechanically because of the presence of relatively large amounts of emulsifying and stabilizing agents, and therefore require addition of less stabilizer in compounding. The apphcations of SBR latex are classified in Table 21. This classification indicates the scope of the industry and illustrates the large number of diverse applications in which synthetic latices are employed. The latex types previously found most suitable for particular applications are also listed. 

P perApplications. In beater additions, the latex is mixed with the beaten paper pulp either by addition at the beater or to the stock chest at the wet end of the paper machine. In either case, the pH of the pulp is reduced to 4.0—4.5, usually by the addition of a solution of alum to the pulp—latex mixture which has been thoroughly agitated. The latex, which for this appHcation must be based on an anionic emulsifier, coagulates as the pH drops. The latex soHds separate ia intimate associatioa with the pulp fibers. The pulp is thea screeaed and the paper web formed ia the coaveatioaal way. A latex for this purpose must possess the proper balance between mechanical and chemical stabiHty. 

Free-radical copolymerizations have been performed ia bulb (comonomers without solvent), solution (comonomers with solvent), suspension (comonomer droplets suspended ia water), and emulsion (comonomer emulsified ia water). On the other hand, most ionic and coordination copolymerizations have been carried out either ia bulb or solution, because water acts as a poison for many ionic and coordination catalysts. Similarly, few condensation copolymerizations iavolve emulsion or suspension processes. The foUowiag reactions exemplify the various copolymerization mechanisms. 

A (macro)emulsion is formed when two immiscible Hquids, usually water and a hydrophobic organic solvent, an oil, are mechanically agitated (5) so that one Hquid forms droplets in the other one. A microemulsion, on the other hand, forms spontaneously because of the self-association of added amphiphilic molecules. During the emulsification agitation both Hquids form droplets, and with no stabilization, two emulsion layers are formed, one with oil droplets in water (o /w) and one of water in oil (w/o). However, if not stabilized the droplets separate into two phases when the agitation ceases. If an emulsifier (a stabilizing compound) is added to the two immiscible Hquids, one of them becomes continuous and the other one remains in droplet form. 

Before determining the degree of stabiUty of an emulsion and the reason for this stabiUty, the mechanisms of its destabilization should be considered. When an emulsion starts to separate, an oil layer appears on top, and an aqueous layer appears on the bottom. This separation is the final state of the destabilization of the emulsion the initial two processes are called flocculation and coalescence (Fig. 5). In flocculation, two droplets become attached to each other but are stiU separated by a thin film of the Hquid. When more droplets are added, an aggregate is formed, ia which the iadividual droplets cluster but retain the thin Hquid films between them, as ia Figure 5a. The emulsifier molecules remain at the surface of the iadividual droplets duiing this process, as iadicated ia Figure 6. 

The kinetic mechanism of emulsion polymerization was developed by Smith and Ewart [10]. The quantitative treatment of this mechanism was made by using Har-kin s Micellar Theory [18,19]. By means of quantitative treatment, the researchers obtained an expression in which the particle number was expressed as a function of emulsifier concentration, initiation, and polymerization rates. This expression was derived for the systems including the monomers with low water solubility and partly solubilized within the micelles formed by emulsifiers having low critical micelle concentration (CMC) values [10]. 

With respect to good adhesion, reduced interfacial tension, fine distribution of TLCP phase, and the use of a compatibilizer can be very effective for this purpose. Remarkably improved mechanical properties (good impact properties as well as tensile properties) can be obtained with optimum amounts of the compatibilizer. Excess amounts of the compatibilizer causes the emulsifying effect to coalesce the dispersed TLCP... 

In contrast to two-phase physical blends, the two-phase block and graft copolymer systems have covalent bonds between the phases, which considerably improve their mechanical strengths. If the domains of the dispersed phase are small enough, such products can be transparent. The thermal behavior of both block and graft two-phase systems is similar to that of physical blends. They can act as emulsifiers for mixtures of the two polymers from which they have been formed. 

The emulsion blocking mechanism involves formation of emulsion in the pores either by self-emulsification of water-based filtrate with the crude oil, or oil filtrate from an oil-based fluid emulsifying formation water. The emulsions are viscous and can block the pores. The remedial design is to prevent emulsification either by eliminating oil from completion fluid or by the use of demulsifiers. 

Ice-cream is a product which has been developed since mechanical refrigeration became available. Ice-cream mixes comprise fats (not always dairy), milk protein, sugar and additives such as emulsifiers, stabilizers, colourings, together with extra items such as fruit, nuts, pieces of chocolate, etc., according to the particular type and flavour. The presence of this mixture of constituents means that the freezing... 

Since the 1940s, alkanesulfonates have served as emulsifiers in the emulsion polymerization of vinylchloride. Nevertheless, the detailed mechanisms of this process are not yet completely known. An important advantage of using alkanesulfonates is that they produce latices with a high solid content, which can be effectively processed by spray drying [90]. 

Particle formation in the early stages of a batch reaction is normally quite rapid. Hence the particle surface area produced is able to adsorb the free emulsifier quite early in the reaction (2 to 10% conversion) and particle formation ceases, or at best slows to a very low rate. Particles formed in the beginning of the reaction would have approximately identical ages at the end of the batch reaction. These particles would be expected to be nearly the same size unless flocculation mechanisms, stochostic differences, or secondary nucleation factors are significant. 

Achieving steady-state operation in a continuous tank reactor system can be difficult. Particle nucleation phenomena and the decrease in termination rate caused by high viscosity within the particles (gel effect) can contribute to significant reactor instabilities. Variation in the level of inhibitors in the feed streams can also cause reactor control problems. Conversion oscillations have been observed with many different monomers. These oscillations often result from a limit cycle behavior of the particle nucleation mechanism. Such oscillations are difficult to tolerate in commercial systems. They can cause uneven heat loads and significant transients in free emulsifier concentration thus potentially causing flocculation and the formation of wall polymer. This problem may be one of the most difficult to handle in the development of commercial continuous processes. 

Emulsion polymerisation represents the next stage in development from the suspension technique and is a versatile and widely used method of polymerisation. In this technique droplets of monomer are dispersed in water with the aid of an emulsifying agent, usually a synthetic detergent. The detergent forms small micelles 10-100 /im in size, which is much smaller than the droplets that can be formed by mechanical agitation in suspension polymerisation. These micelles contain a small quantity of monomer, the rest of the monomer being suspended in the water without the aid of any surfactant. 

The viscosity function of the natural gums is utilized in both oil in water and water in oil emulsions. Often the gums are referred to as emulsifying agents. They are considered not so much as emulsifiers, but rather as emulsion protectors or stabilizers. To a large extent, the function is to increase the viscosity of the aqueous phase so that it approaches, or slightly exceeds, that of the oil hence, there is less tendency for the two phases, once emulsified, to separate by mechanical slippage. 

Whipped toppings, either gas dispenser or mechanical, present many problems in foam stabilization. Usually less fat is used in gas-dispensed types. All-vegetable protein whips are now on the market. The percentage of fat, emulsifiers, and gum stabilizers varies with the type of whipping and personal preference. 

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