<br/>De-emulsification of emulsions by different additives or external forces is very important in a variety of industrial applications. The de-emulsification process involves flocculation, coalescence of emulsion droplets, and separation of two immiscible liquids. Emulsion stability is largely affected by the nature of the adsorbed layer, interfacial and rheological properties of molecules at the oil-water interface, and interactions between the emulsion droplets. Currently, different methods are being used to achieve de-emulsification, including the use of chemical additives, application of electric fields, and increasing emulsion temperature. Most of these methods are energy intensive, and it is often hard to separate the additives after the de-emulsification process. Here, we studied the use of colloidal particles as de-emulsifiers. Particles are relatively easy to separate, and it is often possible to tune the interactions between surfactant molecules and colloidal particles for specific needs. In particular, we investigated the effect of particle wettability on the stability of nonionic-surfactant stabilized oil-in-water emulsions. Rapid coalescence of the emulsion droplets is observed when partially-wettable particles are added to the continuous phase. A combination of visual and microscopic observations were used to determine the emulsion stability, and the adsorption isotherms were used to determine the interactions between the surfactant molecules and the particles, including their subsequent effects on emulsion stability.<br/>

Destabilization of nonionic surfactant stabilized oil-in-water emulsions: Effect of particle wettability

251st National Meeting (2016)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.