Effect of the type of the oil phase on stability of highly concentrated water-in-oil emulsions

The water-in-oil high internal phase emulsions were the subject of the study. The emulsions consisted of a super-cooled aqueous solution of inorganic salt as a dispersed phase and industrial grade oil as a continuous phase. The influence of the industrial grade oil type on a water-in-oil high internal phase emulsion stability was investigated. The stability of emulsions was considered in terms of the crystallization of the dispersed phase droplets (that are super-cooled aqueous salt solution) during ageing. The oils were divided into groups: one that highlighted the effect of oil/aqueous phase interfacial tension and another that investigated the effect of oil viscosity on the emulsion rheological properties and shelf-life. For a given set of experimental conditions the influence of oil viscosity for the emulsion stability as well as the oil/aqueous interfacial tension plays an important role. Within the frames of our experiment it was found that there are oil types characterized by optimal parameters: oil/aqueous phase interfacial tension being in the region of 19–24 mN/m and viscosity close to 3 mPa s; such oils produced the most stable high internal phase emulsions. It was assumed that the oil with optimal parameters kept the critical micelle concentration and surfactant diffusion rate at optimal levels allowing the formation of a strong emulsifier layer at the interface and at the same time creating enough emulsifier micelles in the inter-droplet layer to prevent the droplet crystallization.     

The Effect of Oil Components and Homogenization Conditions on the Physicochemical Properties of Zedoary Turmeric Oil Submicron Emulsions

Zedoary turmeric oil submicron emulsions were studied. The effects of the oil phase as a mixture (ternary) on the emulsion droplet size were investigated by means of the simplex lattice design. By optimizing the homogenization process and using only 1.2% soya lecithin, emulsions with 20% oil phase consisting of zedoary turmeric oil–MCT–soybean oil ratio of 0.5:0.25:0.25 with particle sizes in the range of 132–148 nm and moderate viscosity (3.6–4.0 mPa · s) could be prepared. These emulsions showed good stability over 6 months. This study showed the dominating influence of composition of the oil phase as well as the importance of the homogenizing conditions on processing and stability of the zedoary turmeric oil submicron emulsions.     

A Three-Step Model for Submicron W/O Emulsion Formation in a Transitional-Phase Inversion Process

A three-step model of the transitional phase inversion (TPI) process for the formation of water-in-oil (W/O) emulsions is presented. Three types of emulsions exist in an emulsification process at different oil–water ratios and hydrophilic–lipophilic balance (HLB). A stable W/O emulsion was obtained using Sorbitan oleate (Span 80) and polyoxyethylenesorbitan monooleate (Tween 80) with a specified HLB and oil volume fraction. Oil was added into water, which contained the water-soluble surfactant, to dissolve the oil-soluble surfactant. This route allowed TPI to occur, and an interesting emulsification process was observed by varying the HLB, which corresponded to the change in the oil–water ratio. Two types of emulsions in the emulsification process were found: transition emulsion 1 (W/O/W high internal phase emulsion) and target emulsion 2 (W/O emulsion with low viscosity). This study describes the changes that occurred in the emulsification process.     

Effect of Inorganic Solids,Wax to Asphaltene Ratio,and Water Cut on the Stability of Water-in-Crude Oil Emulsions

The formation of stable water-in-crude oil emulsions during petroleum production and refinery may create sever and costly separation problems. It is very important to understand the mechanism and factors contributing to the formation and stabilization of such emulsions for both great economic and environmental development. This article investigates some of the factors controlling the stability of water-in-crude oil emulsions formed in Burgan oil field in Kuwait. Water-in-crude oil emulsion samples collected from Burgan oil filed have been used to separate asphaltenes, resins, waxes, and crude oil fractions. These fractions were used to prepare emulsion samples to study the effect of solid particles (Fe₃O₄) on the stability of emulsions samples. Results indicate that high solid content lead to higher degree of emulsion stability. Stability of emulsion samples under various waxes to asphaltenes (W/A) ratios have also been tested. These tests showed that at low W/A content, the emulsions were very stable. While at a wax to asphaltene ratio above 1 to 1, the addition of wax reduced emulsion stability. Stability of emulsion samples with varying amount of water cut has also been investigated. Results indicated that stability and hence viscosity of emulsion increases as a function of increasing the water cut until it reaches the inversion point where a sharp decline in viscosity takes place. This inversion point was found to be approximately at 50% water cut for the crude oils considered in this study.     

Formulation–composition map of a lecithin-based emulsion

Formulation–composition map is an interesting tool to predict the nature of an emulsion, stability, viscosity and nevertheless to decide the mixing protocol of its ingredients. Information based on optimum formulation (environmental conditions at which the affinity of an emulsifier for oil and for aqueous phase is same), which is depicted through hydrophilic–lipophilic deviation (HLD) concept, is necessary to make a formulation–composition map of an emulsion. In order to apply this concept in food emulsions, it is necessary to determine characteristic constants of each component of the system, i.e. the aqueous phase, the oil phase and the emulsifier at equilibrium. In this work formulation–composition map of a sunflower oil–water–lecithin system, based on the knowledge of phase behavior of lecithin at equilibrium and emulsification, was made. The shape of inversion line on formulation–composition map was not the classical stair type rather an almost vertical inversion line at water-fraction (f_w) near 0.20 was observed. It was supposed to be linked to the viscosity of oil phase which was 50 times the viscosity of aqueous phase. Additionally, emulsions were of oil-in-water (O/W) type for f_w higher than 0.20, but their viscosity and the drop size behavior with respect to salt concentration as formulation variable did not show the existence of transitional inversion line on formulation–composition map. Such map in advance can certainly facilitate the guidelines for dynamic emulsification.     

The effects of emulsifier type,phase ratio,and homogenization methods on stability of the double emulsion

The double emulsion technology has a potential effect on the development of diversity and quality of functional foods by means of decreasing oil or salt concentration, encapsulating and controlling release of valuable components. In this study, it was aimed to formulate stable double emulsions to be used in food systems. W1/O ratios of primary emulsions, stabilized by polyglycerol polyricinoleate (PGPR), were designed as 2:8 and 4:6, and (W1/O)/W2 ratios of the double emulsions were used as 2:8 and 4:6. W/O/W phase ratios, homogenization methods applied to primary emulsion (high-speed homogenization, ultrasonic homogenization), and emulsifier types used in W2 phase [sodium caseinate (SC), xanthan gum, lecithin-whey protein concentrate] were used as independent variables. Particle size and distributions, stability, encapsulation efficiency (EE), rheological properties, long-term stability, and morphological properties of the double emulsions were investigated.

The double emulsions prepared with SC and (W1/O)/W2 ratio of 4:6, were found to have the higher stability values, higher apparent viscosity, and lower particle size. High-speed homogenization applied to primary emulsion reduced particle size of the double emulsion and increased apparent viscosity, but did not affect stability and EE of the double emulsions, significantly.     

Physical Stability and the Droplet Distribution of Rice Oil–in–Water Emulsion

The objective of the current study was to evaluate long-term stability of emulsions with rice oil by assessing their physical properties. For this purpose, six emulsions were prepared, their stability was examined empirically, and the most correctly formulated emulsion composition was determined using a computer simulation. Variable parameters (oil and thickener content) were indicated with optimization software based on Kleeman's method. Synthesized emulsions were studied by numerous techniques involving determination of particle size and distribution of emulsion, optical microscopy, viscosity, and novelty analysis—Turbiscan test.

The emulsion containing 50 g of oil and 1.2 g of thickener had the highest stability. Empirically determined parameters proved to be consistent with the results obtained using the computer software. The computer simulation showed that the most stable emulsion should contain from 35.93 to 50 g of oil and 0.94 to 1.19 g of thickener. The computer software based on Kleeman's method proved to be useful for fast optimization of the composition and providing parameters of stable emulsion systems. Forming emulsions based on rice oil is a chance to introduce a new, interesting representative of functional food as well as a cosmetic product.     

Role of liquid crystal in the emulsification of a gel emulsion with high internal phase fraction

A gel emulsion with high internal oil phase volume fraction was formed via an inversion process induced by a water–oil ratio change. The process involved the formation of intermediate multiple emulsions prior to inversion. The multiple emulsions contain a liquid crystal formed by the surfactant with water; this was both predicted by the equilibrium phase diagram as well as observed using polarization microscopy. These multiple emulsions were more stable compared to alternative multiple emulsions prepared in the same way with a surfactant that does not form liquid crystals. While the formation of a stable intermediate multiple emulsion may not be a necessary condition for the inversion to occur, the transitional presence of a liquid crystal proved to be a significant factor in the stabilization of the intermediate multiple emulsions. The resulting gel emulsion contained a small fraction of the liquid crystal according to the phase diagram, and it exhibited excellent stability.     

Stability of emulsions of water in mineral oils containing asphaltenes

Emulsions of water in mineral oils are stable if the oil phase contains asphaltenes which are near the condition of incipient flocculation. This condition is determined by the composition of the oil phase and by the nature of the asphaltenes. High aromaticity of the oil phase and the presence of deflocculants prevent flocculation of asphaltenes; the deflocculants may be interfacially active agents or asphaltene-like compounds with better solubility in the oil phase. Conditions of incipient flocculation of asphaltenes correlate very well with a considerable increase of rheological resistance of the interface between the oil phase and distilled water, determined according to the torsion oscillation method. Stabilization of the water-in-oil emulsions is therefore caused by the build-up of a coherent layer of asphaltenes in the water-oil interface in these cases. Deflocculants of asphaltenes in the oil phase destroy their stabilizing effect; however, the deflocculants themselves may stabilize the water-in-oil emulsions by adsorption on the water-oil interface and then the correlation between the condition of asphaltenes and emulsion stability does not hold, nor is the interfacial viscosity perceptibly increased. Under borderline conditions of emulsion stability a few percent of sodium chloride in the water phase counteracts the build-up of a stabilizing layer of asphaltenes in the water-oil interface and so do higher p_H values of a buffered water phase. At low p_H-values emulsion stability does not correlate with interfacial resistance. It can be concluded that asphaltenes stabilize water-in-oil emulsions if they accumulate on the water-oil interface. This interfacial layer may show a coherence, which is an indication of the presence of asphaltenes rather than a condition for stability of the emulsions.     

Double inversion of emulsions induced by salt concentration

The effects of salt on emulsions containing sorbitan oleate (Span 80) and Laponite particles were investigated. Surprisingly, a novel double phase inversion was induced by simply changing the salt concentration. At fixed concentration of Laponite particles in the aqueous phase and surfactant in paraffin oil, emulsions are oil in water (o/w) when the concentration of NaCl is lower than 5 mM. Emulsions of water in oil (w/o) are obtained when the NaCl concentration is between 5 and 20 mM. Then the emulsions invert to o/w when the salt concentration is higher than 50 mM. In this process, different emulsifiers dominate the composition of the interfacial layer, and the emulsion type is correspondingly controlled. When the salt concentration is low in the aqueous dispersion of Laponite, the particles are discrete and can move to the interface freely. Therefore, the emulsions are stabilized by particles and surfactant, and the type is o/w as particles are in domination. At intermediate salt concentrations, the aqueous dispersions of Laponite are gel-like, the viscosity is high, and the transition of the particles from the aqueous phase to the interface is inhibited. The emulsions are stabilized mainly by lipophilic surfactant, and w/o emulsions are obtained. For high salt concentration, flocculation occurs and the viscosity of the dispersion is reduced; thus, the adsorption of particles is promoted and the type of emulsions inverts to o/w. Laser-induced fluorescent confocal micrographs and cryo transmission electron microscopy clearly confirm the adsorption of Laponite particles on the surface of o/w emulsion droplets, whereas the accumulation of particles at the w/o emulsion droplet surfaces was not observed. This mechanism is also supported by the results of rheology and interfacial tension measurements.     

Phase transitions in O/W lauryl acrylate emulsions during phase inversion,studied by light microscopy and cryo-TEM

Phase changes during the preparation of nano-emulsions containing polymerizable monomer as the oil phase, by the phase inversion temperature technique (PIT), were investigated using light microscopy, cryo-TEM and viscosity measurements. The nano-emulsions were prepared using a poly(oxyethylene) nonionic surfactant and a polymerizable acrylic monomer (lauryl acrylate) as the oil phase. Inversion of the emulsion, followed by rapid cooling, resulted in emulsions having an average droplet size as low as 25 nm. Cryo-TEM was used to observe the structures that are present above and below the phase transition temperature, and gave, for the first time, visual indication of the presence of a microemulsion and a locally ordered structure in the process. At high surfactant concentrations, the inversion–cooling process yields emulsions with unique structures, in which the oil phase is present as worm-like structures.     

Viscosity of dilute colloidal dispersions involving polysaccharide-based stabilizers

The viscosity of oil-in-water emulsions stabilized by amphiphilic derivatives of dextran (a neutral bacterial polysaccharide) was studied. The oil volume fraction was kept lower than 20% and the mean droplet diameter remained between 200 and 300 nm. The effects of temperature and oil volume fraction on emulsion viscosity were examined using a capillary viscometer. Andrade equation was shown to conveniently account for the variation of viscosity with temperature. Semiempirical equations were derived for the variation of activation energy with oil volume fraction. The established equations were extended to other emulsions using literature data.     

Oil-in-water emulsions stabilized by whey protein aggregates: Effect of aggregate size,pH of aggregation and emulsion pH

Oil-in-water emulsions (60% oil (w/w)) were prepared using whey protein aggregates as the sole emulsifying agent. The effects of whey protein aggregate size (the diameter between 0.92 and 10.9?µm), the pH of emulsions (4–8.6) and storage time on physical properties, droplet size, and stability of emulsions were investigated. The results indicate that increment of whey protein aggregate size caused an increase in the firmness, droplet size, and viscosity of emulsions, and also a decrease in the emulsion creaming. The emulsion viscosity, firmness, and droplet size were reduced by increasing the emulsion pH; however, the creaming process was accelerated. Viscosity, creaming, and droplet size of emulsions were increased slightly during 21 days storage at 40°C.     

Optimization of Phytosterols Dispersion in an Oil/Water Emulsion Using Mixture Design Approach

Major problems related to enrichment of products with phytosterols are high melting temperature, chalky taste and low solubility in water phase. Dispersion of phytosterols in an emulsion was optimized using a mixture design with four components (phytosterols, emulsifier, soy oil, and water). It was found that the particle size of the dispersed phase decreased with the increase in emulsifier concentration. The appearance viscosity was increased with decreasing particle size. The stability of these emulsions could be correlated with the decrease in surface tension and particle size by using oil and emulsifier as components of oil phase.     

Oxidative stability and effect of stress factors on flaxseed oil-in-water emulsions stabilized by sodium caseinate–sodium alginate–chitosan interfacial membrane

The susceptibility of heart healthy ω-3 fatty acids to lipid oxidation has hindered its incorporation into healthful foods and beverages. In this study, plant-based flaxseed oil rich in ω-3 fatty acids were dispersed into primary, secondary and tertiary emulsion system. A primary emulsion containing sodium caseinate-stabilized cationic droplets was prepared by homogenizing flaxseed oil as oil phase and sodium caseinate solution as the aqueous phase in an ultrasonicator. A secondary emulsion comprising of sodium caseinate–sodium alginate anionic droplets were produced by diluting appropriate primary emulsion with alginate solution. Further, a tertiary emulsion composed of sodium caseinate–sodium alginate–chitosan-coated cationic droplets was produced by diluting secondary emulsion with chitosan solution. The resistance of primary, secondary and tertiary emulsions with the same lipid concentration to destabilization by thermal treatment (30–90 °C for 30 min), sodium chloride addition (≤70 mM NaCl) and oxidative degradation (hydroperoxide concentration and TBARS) was determined. The results showed that secondary emulsions could resist variation in environmental stresses of salt and heat as well as protect the oil phase from decomposition better than primary and tertiary emulsions. Interfacial engineering could be used to design emulsion system with desirable characteristics.     

Droplet migration in emulsion systems measured using MR methods

The migration of emulsion droplets under shear flow remains a largely unexplored area of study, despite the existence of an extensive literature on the analogous problem of solid particle migration. A novel methodology is presented to track the shear-induced migration of emulsion droplets based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The work is in three parts: first, single droplets of one Newtonian fluid are suspended in a second Newtonian fluid (water in silicone oil (PDMS)) and are tracked as they migrate within a Couette cell; second, the migration of emulsion droplets in Poiseuille flow is considered; third, water-in-silicone oil emulsions are sheared in a Couette cell. The effect of (a) rotational speed of the Couette, (b) the continuous phase viscosity, and (c) the droplet phase concentration are considered. The equilibrium extent of migration and rate of migration increase with rotational speed for two different emulsion systems and increased continuous phase viscosity, leads to a greater equilibrium extent of migration. The relationship between the droplet phase concentration and migration is however complex. These results for semi-concentrated emulsion systems and wide-gap Couette cells are not well described by existing models of emulsion droplet migration.     

Water pH and surfactant addition effects on the stability of an Algerian crude oil emulsion

In many oil production sites water injection is used as a piston to push the crude out of the well. As the age of the field progresses, the ratio of water to oil produced increases. Agitation of a water and crude oil mixture may give stable water-in-oil emulsion in which the water remains dispersed for a long period of time. These emulsions can cause severe problems in production and transport processes since they normally possess high stability and viscosity. The most important water properties which may contribute to the emulsion stability include pH and additive content. In this study, we report on the effect of both, water pH and the presence of surfactant molecules (anionic, cationic or non-ionic) on the stability of an Algerian crude oil (Haoudh el Hamra well) aqueous emulsion prepared by a mechanical agitation procedure. The stability was followed by the test-bottle method to measure the resolved water separated from the emulsion, and optical microscopy to visualize the dispersed water droplets in the oil phase. The results of the effects of varying the aqueous-phase pH suggest that the neutral medium is more efficient than acidic or basic environment for stabilizing the emulsions. The addition of non-ionic surfactants has a better potential to improve crude oil emulsion stability with respect to both cationic and anionic surfactants which do not show any improvement in the oil/water phase compatibility.     

Relationship between rheological properties and one-step W/O/W multiple emulsion formation

Formation of a normal (not temporary) W/O/W multiple emulsion via the one-step method as a result of the simultaneous occurrence of catastrophic and transitional phase inversion processes has been recently reported. Critical features of this process include the emulsification temperature (corresponding to the ultralow surface tension point), the use of a specific nonionic surfactant blend and the surfactant blend/oil phase ratio, and the addition of the surfactant blend to the oil phase. The purpose of this study was to investigate physicochemical properties in an effort to gain a mechanistic understanding of the formation of these emulsions. Bulk, surface, and interfacial rheological properties of adsorbed nonionic surfactant (CremophorRH40 and Span80) films were investigated under conditions known to affect W/O/W emulsion formation. Bulk viscosity results demonstrated that CremophorRH40 has a higher mobility in oil compared than in water, explaining the significance of the solvent phase. In addition, the bulk viscosity profile of aqueous solutions containing CremophorRH40 indicated a phase transition at around 78 ± 2 °C, which is in agreement with cubic phase formation in the Winsor III region. The similarity in the interfacial elasticity values of CremophorRH40 and Span80 indicated that canola oil has a major effect on surface activity, showing the significance of vegetable oil. The highest interfacial shear elasticity and viscosity were observed when both surfactants were added to the oil phase, indicating the importance of the microstructural arrangement. CremophorRH40/Span80 complexes tended to desorb from the solution/solution interface with increasing temperature, indicating surfactant phase formation as is theoretically predicted in the Winsor III region. Together these interfacial and bulk rheology data demonstrate that one-step W/O/W emulsions form as a result of the simultaneous occurrence of phase-transition processes in the Winsor III region and explain the critical formulation and processing parameters necessary to achieve the formation of these normal W/O/W emulsions.     

Effect of oil phase transition on freeze/thaw-induced demulsification of water-in-oil emulsions

Recently, there has been an increasing interest in the breakage of water-in-oil (W/O) emulsions by the freeze/thaw method. Most of the previous works focused on the phase transition of the water droplet phase. This paper emphasizes the effect of continuous oil phase transition. A series of oils with different freezing points were used as oil phases to produce model emulsions, which were then frozen and thawed. The emulsion whose oil phase froze before the water droplet phase did (OFBW) on cooling was readily demulsified with a dewatering ratio as high as over 80%, but the emulsion whose oil phase did not freeze when the water droplet phase did (NOFBW) was relatively hard to break. The difference in demulsification performance between them resulted from the distinction between their demulsification mechanisms via the analyses of the emulsion stability, emulsion crystallization/melting behaviors, oil phase physical properties, and wettability of the frozen oil phase, etc. For the OFBW emulsion, the first-frozen oil phase was ruptured by the volume expansion of the subsequently frozen droplet phase, and meanwhile, some liquid droplet phase was drawn into the fine gaps/crevices of the frozen oil phase to bridge droplets, which were considered to be essential to the emulsion breakage, whereas for the NOFBW emulsion, the demulsification was attributed to the collision mechanism proposed in our previous work. The findings may provide some criteria for selecting a proper oil phase in the emulsion liquid membrane (ELM) process and then offer an alternative approach to recycle the oil phase for continuous operation. This work may also be useful for emulsion stability against temperature cycling.     

Dynamic Stability of Heavy Crude Oil-in-Water Emulsions

The transport of heavy oil as concentrated oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions is one of the most promising pipeline techniques, and how to ensure a steady flow is the key to the successful application of this technology. Most of the previous studies focused on the static stability of the emulsions. However, the stability changes constantly with time and external shearing in the transportation. In this paper, a stable O/W emulsion was prepared for its dynamic stability to be tested by three methods of small-scale flow loop, rheology and stirring, respectively. The results indicated that the O/W emulsion with 30 vol.% water and 0.2 wt.% OP-10 could well satisfy the transport requirement. A critical temperature existed to make the rheological property of the emulsion rapidly deteriorate. For low-Reynolds-number turbulent pipe flow, an appropriate increase of temperatures and shear rates was conducive to the flocculation-dissociation balance of the internal phase, which could effectively reduce the apparent viscosity of the emulsion and the flow frictional resistance. High flow rate of O/W emulsions could be transported at relatively low temperatures to ensure great dynamic stability, and low flow rate of that could be done at relatively high temperatures to obtain low apparent viscosity.