The Dispersed Phase

The values of k and hence Sb depend on whether the phase under consideration is the continuous phase, c, surrounding the drop, or the dispersed phase, d, comprising the drop. The notations and Sh are used for the respective mass-transfer coefficients and Sherwood numbers. 

Holdup and Flooding. The volume fraction of the dispersed phase, commonly known as the holdup can be adjusted in a batch extractor by means of the relative volumes of each Hquid phase added. In a continuously operated weU-mixed tank, the holdup is also in proportion to the volume flow rates because the phases become intimately dispersed as soon as they enter the tank. 

However, in a countercurrent column contactor as sketched in Figure 8, the holdup of the dispersed phase is considerably less than this, because the dispersed drops travel quite fast through the continuous phase and therefore have a relatively short residence time in the equipment. The holdup is related to the superficial velocities U of each phase, defined as the flow rate per unit cross section of the contactor, and to a sHp velocity U (71,72) ... 

Atomization. A gas or Hquid may be dispersed into another Hquid by the action of shearing or turbulent impact forces that are present in the flow field. The steady-state drop si2e represents a balance between the fluid forces tending to dismpt the drop and the forces of interfacial tension tending to oppose distortion and breakup. When the flow field is laminar the abiHty to disperse is strongly affected by the ratio of viscosities of the two phases. Dispersion, in the sense of droplet formation, does not occur when the viscosity of the dispersed phase significantly exceeds that of the dispersing medium (13). 

Another type of polyol often used in the manufacture of flexible polyurethane foams contains a dispersed soHd phase of organic chemical particles (234—236). The continuous phase is one of the polyols described above for either slab or molded foam as required. The dispersed phase reacts in the polyol using an addition reaction with styrene and acrylonitrile monomers in one type or a coupling reaction with an amine such as hydrazine and isocyanate in another. The soHds content ranges from about 21% with either system to nearly 40% in the styrene—acrylonitrile system. The dispersed soHds confer increased load bearing and in the case of flexible molded foams also act as a ceU opener. 

Mechanical alloying is another method of producing dispersion-strengthened metals. In this process, the powdered constituents of the ahoy are treated in an attrition mih. A finely distributed layer of the dispersed phase is distributed on particles of the base metal. Subsequent pressing and sintering strengthens the dispersion (25). 

Figure 4b represents the case where a reactant dissolved in the dispersed phase reacts with the continuous phase to produce a co-reactant. The co-reactant and any remaining unreacted original reactant left in the dispersed phase then proceed to react with each other at the dispersed phase side of the interface and produce a capsule shell. Capsule shell formation occurs entirely because of reaction of reactants present in the droplets of dispersed phase. No reactant is added to the aqueous phase. As in the case of the process described by Figure 4a, a reactive species must be dissolved in the core material in order to produce a capsule shell. 

Figure 4c illustrates interfacial polymerisation encapsulation processes in which the reactant(s) that polymerise to form the capsule shell is transported exclusively from the continuous phase of the system to the dispersed phase—continuous phase interface where polymerisation occurs and a capsule shell is produced. This type of encapsulation process has been carried out at Hquid—Hquid and soHd—Hquid interfaces. An example of the Hquid—Hquid case is the spontaneous polymerisation reaction of cyanoacrylate monomers at the water—solvent interface formed by dispersing water in a continuous solvent phase (14). The poly(alkyl cyanoacrylate) produced by this spontaneous reaction encapsulates the dispersed water droplets. An example of the soHd—Hquid process is where a core material is dispersed in aqueous media that contains a water-immiscible surfactant along with a controUed amount of surfactant. A water-immiscible monomer that polymerises by free-radical polymerisation is added to the system and free-radical polymerisation localised at the core material—aqueous phase interface is initiated thereby generating a capsule sheU (15). 

Static mixing of immiscible Hquids can provide exceUent enhancement of the interphase area for increasing mass-transfer rate. The drop size distribution is relatively narrow compared to agitated tanks. Three forces are known to influence the formation of drops in a static mixer shear stress, surface tension, and viscous stress in the dispersed phase. Dimensional analysis shows that the drop size of the dispersed phase is controUed by the Weber number. The average drop size, in a Kenics mixer is a function of Weber number We = df /a, and the ratio of dispersed to continuous-phase viscosities (Eig. 32). 

Drilling fluids are classified as to the nature of the continuous phase gas, water, oil, or synthetic. Within each classification are divisions based on composition or chemistry of the fluid or the dispersed phase. 

The process of flushing typically consists of the foUowing sequence phase transfer separation of aqueous phase vacuum dehydration of water trapped in the dispersed phase dispersion of the pigment in the oil phase by continued appHcation of shear thinning the heavy mass by addition of one or more vehicles to reduce the viscosity of dispersion and standardization of the finished dispersion to adjust the color and rheological properties to match the quaHty to the previously estabHshed standard. 

Rubber-Modified Copolymers. Acrylonitrile—butadiene—styrene polymers have become important commercial products since the mid-1950s. The development and properties of ABS polymers have been discussed in detail (76) (see Acrylonitrile polymers). ABS polymers, like HIPS, are two-phase systems in which the elastomer component is dispersed in the rigid SAN copolymer matrix. The electron photomicrographs in Figure 6 show the difference in morphology of mass vs emulsion ABS polymers. The differences in stmcture of the dispersed phases are primarily a result of differences in production processes, types of mbber used, and variation in mbber concentrations. 

Phenomena at Liquid Interfaces. The area of contact between two phases is called the interface three phases can have only aline of contact, and only a point of mutual contact is possible between four or more phases. Combinations of phases encountered in surfactant systems are L—G, L—L—G, L—S—G, L—S—S—G, L—L, L—L—L, L—S—S, L—L—S—S—G, L—S, L—L—S, and L—L—S—G, where G = gas, L = liquid, and S = solid. An example of an L—L—S—G system is an aqueous surfactant solution containing an emulsified oil, suspended soHd, and entrained air (see Emulsions Foams). This embodies several conditions common to practical surfactant systems. First, because the surface area of a phase iacreases as particle size decreases, the emulsion, suspension, and entrained gas each have large areas of contact with the surfactant solution. Next, because iaterfaces can only exist between two phases, analysis of phenomena ia the L—L—S—G system breaks down iato a series of analyses, ie, surfactant solution to the emulsion, soHd, and gas. It is also apparent that the surfactant must be stabilizing the system by preventing contact between the emulsified oil and dispersed soHd. FiaaHy, the dispersed phases are ia equiUbrium with each other through their common equiUbrium with the surfactant solution. 

Feed—constituent interactions further affect retention (28,29). Dispersing agents and emulsifiers are partially retained because they attach to the dispersed phase. Small molecules may similarly adsorb onto larger particles. 

Colloidal State. The principal outcome of many of the composition studies has been the delineation of the asphalt system as a colloidal system at ambient or normal service conditions. This particular concept was proposed in 1924 and described the system as an oil medium in which the asphaltene fraction was dispersed. The transition from a coUoid to a Newtonian Hquid is dependent on temperature, hardness, shear rate, chemical nature, etc. At normal service temperatures asphalt is viscoelastic, and viscous at higher temperatures. The disperse phase is a micelle composed of the molecular species that make up the asphaltenes and the higher molecular weight aromatic components of the petrolenes or the maltenes (ie, the nonasphaltene components). Complete peptization of the micelle seems probable if the system contains sufficient aromatic constituents, in relation to the concentration of asphaltenes, to allow the asphaltenes to remain in the dispersed phase. 

Viscosity of Systems with Dispersed Phases. A large proportion of coatings are pigmented and, therefore, have dispersed phases. In latex paints, both the pigments and the principal polymer are in dispersed phases. The viscosity of a coating having dispersed phases is a function of the volume concentration of the dispersed phase and can be expressed mathematically by the Mooney equation (96), a convenient form of which is... 

In the dispersed-phase amalgam an additional phase of an eutectic of the Ag—Cu system and a reaction ring (2one) of Cu Sn [12019-69-1] around the residual silver alloy particles has been detected. If 10% gold is added to conventional alloys at the expense of the silver content, non-y2 amalgams are... 

As an approximate rule, break-up of droplets occurs for a Weber number in excess of one, a rule of thumb that is actually valid for the range of viscosity ratios of the dispersed phase to the continuous phase of less than approximately five. Higher viscosities of the disperse phase lead to serious difficulties with emulsification because the shear energy is then dispersed in rotation of the droplets. 

One consequence of the Z dependence is that the higher energy density per volume may be used to advantage by emulsification of the dispersed phase into a reduced amount of the continuous phase, followed by dilution. A reduced amount of the continuous phase means an increased value of Z, because the energy input is dissipated into a smaller volume. An exception to this rule is found if the continuous phase contains soHd particles. In such a case forces acting through the Hquid medium are not efficient for obvious reasons, and mechanical means such as a roUer mill should be used. 

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