Stability of Emulsions

emulsion stability :

Emulsion stability is important in many industrial applications

including coatings , food products , agriculture , formulations
and personal care .
 There are two principle requirements to ensure the stability of emulsions :

1.
neon
particle
size of droplets
Through
No change of
Or out shelf-
in dispersed
Size life
phase
distributio
n

2. There should be homogeneous distribution of

Emulsified droplets through out system.
A stable emulsion is characterized by the following :
1. Absence of flocculation and creaming .
2. Absence of coalescence of globules and separation of the
layers.
3. Absence of deterioration due to microorganisms ,
4. Maintainance of elegance with respect to appearance , odor,
color, and consistency .
 Instability or Stability Problems
• Instability of Emusion may be classified as:

o Flocculation
o Creaming
o Coalescence and Breaking
o Miscellanous Physical and Chemical Change
o Phase inversion
FLOCCULATION:
 Is the joining together of
globules to form large
clumps or floccules
which rise or settle in the
emulsion more rapidly
than do the individual
particles.
CREAMING:
 Is the rising (upward
creaming ) or settling
( downward creaming) of
globules or floccules to
form a concentrated layer
at the surface or to the
bottom of the emusion .
 In creaming , the globules
are still surrounded by the
protective coating or
sheath of emulsifying agent
and may redispersed simply
by agitating the product.
COALESCENCE AND
BREAKING:
 Unlike creaming , the
coalescence of globules and
the subsequent breaking of
an emulsion are irreverible
proceses.
 COALESCENCE is the prcess
by which emusifified
particles merge with each
to form large particles .
 BREAKING is the separation
of emusion to upward oily
layer and downward
aqueous layer .
MISCELLANEOUS PHYSICAL AND
CHEMICAL CHANGE :
 Light and rancidity affect the color and the
odor of oils and may destroy vitamin
content. Freezing ,thawing and high temp
result in the coarseness and breaking of
emulsion.

.
PHASE INVERSION:
 In phase inversion o/w type emusion changes into w/o
type and vice versa
 It is physical instability
 Reasons for phase insersion :
1) Addition of electrolyte
2) Changing phase vol. ratio
3) Temperature change
4) Changing the Emulsifying agent