Emulsion stability, effect interactive behaviour

Even simply for the purpose of classifying rheological behaviour, it is convenient to distinguish between flocculated and non-flocculated systems. This is because, firstly, the theoretical position is much more well developed as a function of oil volume fraction for dispersed (non-flocculated) systems than for flocculated ones, an4 secondly, the experimental behaviour of many emulsion systems can be interpreted most effectively at the mechanistic level from a detailed consideration of the type and extent of flocculation. Much of the experimental work published recently on emulsion rheology has been concerned with the role of water-soluble polymers in controlling the structure and stability of flocculated systems. Of particular importance in such systems is the viscoelasticity of the polymer-containing aqueous continuous phase and the nature of the interaction between polymer and emulsion droplets. 

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