Industrial applications, emulsions

The most important industrial application of alkanesulfonates is the generation of the appropriate emulsions for polymerizing vinyl monomers, e.g., vinyl-chloride or styrene. Other uses are as textile and leather auxiliaries, formulating aids for plant protection agents, and fire-extinguishing foams. 

N Garti, A Aserin. Pharmaceutical emulsions double emulsions and microemulsions. In S Benita, ed. Microencapsulation-Methods and Industrial Applications. New York Marcel Dekker, 1996, pp 411-534. 

All the novel separation techniques discussed in this chapter offer some advantages over conventional solvent extraction for particular types of feed, such as dilute solutions and the separation of biomolecules. Some of them, such as the emulsion liquid membrane and nondispersive solvent extraction, have been investigated at pilot plant scale and have shown good potential for industrial application. However, despite their advantages, many industries are slow to take up novel approaches to solvent extraction unless substantial economic advantages can be gained. Nevertheless, in the future it is probable that some of these techniques will be taken up at full scale in industry. 

In industrial applications, emulsions are often obtained by exerting a crude stirring, made of a very complex combination of extensional and shearing flows. To study and understand the fragmentation process, the flow must be simplifled before... 

Emulsion polymerization is one of the major examples where detergents are applied to create microreactions. For instance, to polymerize styrene (which is insoluble in water), an initiator is added to the aqueous phase. The polymer (polystyrene [PS]) is formed, and the suspension is stabilized by using suitable emulsifiers. The latex thus formed is used in various industrial applications. 

Iodine is used in many dyes and as a colorant for foods and cosmetics. Its silver salt is used in photographic negative emulsions. Other industrial applications include dehydrogenation of butane and butylenes to 1,3-butadiene as a catalyst in many organic reactions in treatment of naphtha to yield high octane motor fuel and in preparation of many metals in high purity grade, such as titanium, zirconium and hafnium. 

The BioGenesis soil remediation and cleaning products can be used for general-purpose and emulsion-degreasing applications in oil refining, utility, automotive, manufacturing, and transportation industries. They can be used in situ or in conjunction with mechanical cleanup systems. 

Guzey, D., McClements, D.J. (2006). Formation, stability and properties of multilayer emulsions for application in the food industry. Advances in Colloid and Interface Science, 128-130,227-248. 

Chromium oxide is equally important as a colorant and in its other industrial applications. As a pigment, it is used predominantly in the paint and coatings industry for high quality green paints with special requirements, especially for steel constructions (coil coating), facade coatings (emulsion paints), and automotive coatings. 

Large volumes of soap are used in industrial applications as gelling agents lor kerosene, paint driers, and as surfactants in emulsion polymerization. See also Soaps. Concern over water eutrophication resulted in a ban of phosphorus in laundry detergents. Phosphates have been effectively replaced by combinations of zeolite, citrate, and polymers, coupled with rebalanced synthetic active systems. Soap itself is generally present only as a minor component of surfactants. 

The wide range of practical and industrial applications of emulsions, foams, and surfactants in particular, has led to the adoption of a wide range of technical terms, some quite specific to particular industries. This chapter provides brief explanations for about 500 significant terms in the science and engineering of industrial emulsions, foams, and suspensions. In addition, cross-references for selected synonyms, abbreviations, and closely-related terms are included. 

The applications of, or problems caused by emulsions, foams, and suspensions in industry area are quite diverse and have great practical importance. The different industrial application settings share some important common themes as well. Colloidal dispersions can be found, may require treatment, or may be applied to advantage throughout most, if not all, of the process industries. In each case the nature, properties, or even the presence or absence of these dispersions can determine both the economic and technical successes of the industrial process concerned. In this book, a wide range of application areas are summarized. 

Draxler, J. and Marr, R. (1986) Emulsion liquid membranes part I Phenomenon and industrial application. Chemical Engineering and Processing, 20, 319. 

The role of surfactants in stabilization/destabilization of foam (air/liquid dispersions) is similar to that for emulsions. This is due to the fact that foam stability/instability is determined by the surface forces operative in liquid films between air bubbles. In many industrial applications, it is essential to stabilize foams against collapse, e.g., with many food products, foam in beer, fire-fighting foam, and polyurethane foams that are used for furniture and insulation. In other applications, it is essential to have an effective way of breaking the foam, e.g., in distillation... 

Applications. At present there are very few known applications, although the surfactants have significant potential due to their unique properties. Sulphonated fatty acids are used in some hard-surface cleaning formulations where their low foam is a benefit and in emulsion polymerisation, where they perform similarly to LAS but with greatly reduced tendency to foam. Future applications for these products may include machine dishwash, extended use in detergent products and industrial applications such as pigment dispersants. For these to be realised, further process development will be required to give a more consistent and better defined product. 

Span surfactants are lipophilic and are generally soluble or dispersible in oil, forming water in oil emulsions. They are used for their excellent emulsification properties in personal care, industrial cleaning, fibre finish, crop protection, water treatment, paints and coatings, lubricant and other industrial applications. 

Ultrasonic spectroscopy technology, developed in the early 1990s, is proving usefiil in the lubricant and food industries for measurement of oil-in-water emulsions at process concentrations. This technology is anticipated to find a wide range of industrial applications. 

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