Solute The dispersed phase

In emulsion paint, the dispersion phase is the liquid of the paint and is generally water-based for emulsion paints. The water is buffered (p. 269) with ammonia or simple amines to yield a slightly alkaline solution. The dispersed phase in most emulsion paints comprises small particles of immiscible urethane. 

In lyophilic colloidal systems, e.g. in polymer solutions, the disperse phase concentration may be sufficiently high, and the osmotic pressure reaches values that can be reliably measured. In this case osmotic pressure measurements, along with the application of osmosis-related phenomena, such as cryoscopy and ebullioscopy, provide methods for the study of such systems. For example, these methods allow one to determine the molecular weights of polymers. 

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