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EMULSION . The word "emulsion" An emulsion is a mixture of two or more liquids that are normally immiscible (nonmixable or unblendable).

Emulsions are part of a more general class of two-phase systems of matter called colloids. An emulsion is used when both the dispersed phase and the dispersion medium are liquids. In an emulsion, one liquid (the dispersed phase) is dispersed in the other (the continuous phase). Examples of emulsions include vinaigrettes, milk, mayonnaise, and some cutting fluids for Meta working comes from the Latin word for "to milk", as milk is the emulsion of milk fat and water. Emulsions, being liquids, do not exhibit a static internal structure. The droplets dispersed in the liquid matrix (called the dispersion medium) are usually assumed to be statistically distributed.

Types of Emulsion Two liquids can form different types of emulsions. 1. An oil-in-water emulsion, where the oil is the dispersed phase, and water is the dispersion medium. Water soluble substances such as certain proteins, sodium, potassium soap used as emulsifying agent. e.g. milk (liquid fat dispersed in water) 2. A water-in-oil emulsion, where water is the dispersed phase and oil is the external phase. Water insoluble substances like fatty acid and salt of heavy metals are emulsifying agent 3. A multiple emulsion is also possible, including a "water-in-oil-inwater" emulsion and an "oil-in-water-in-oil" emulsion.

Appeara nce and propertie s

Emulsions contain both a dispersed and a continuous phase, with the boundary between the phases called the "interface". Emulsions tend to have a cloudy appearance because the many phase interfaces scatter light as it passes through the emulsion. Emulsions appear white when all light is scattered equally otherwise it may even appear bluer (when mixture is dilute) or yellow (when mixture is concentrated). This phenomenon is easily observable when comparing skimmed milk, which contains little fat, to cream, which contains a much higher concentration of milk fat. Two special classes of emulsions - micro emulsions and nano emulsions, with droplet sizes below 100 nm - appear translucent

Common emulsions are inherently unstable and, thus, do not tend to form spontaneously. Energy input - through shaking, stirring, homogenizing, or exposure to power ultrasound - is needed to form an emulsion. Over time, emulsions tend to revert to the stable state of the phases comprising the emulsion. An example of this is seen in the separation of the oil and

vinegar components of vinaigrette, an unstable emulsion that will quickly separate unless shaken almost continuously. There are important exceptions to this rule micro emulsions are thermodynamically stable, while translucent nanoemulsions are kinetically stable.

EMULSIFIERS An emulsifier (also known as an "emulgent") is a substance that stabilizes an emulsion by increasing its kinetic stability. One class of emulsifiers is known as "surface active substances", or surfactants. It forms interfacial film between two liquids. It reduces the tension and the two liquid is mixed. Examples of food emulsifiers are:

Egg yolk- in which the main emulsifying agent is lecithin. In fact, lecithos is the Greek word for egg yolk. Mustard - where a variety of chemicals in the mucilage surrounding the seed hull act as emulsifiers Proteins Low molecular weight emulsifiers Soy lecithin is another emulsifier and thickener Pickering stabilization - uses particles under certain circumstances sodium stearoyl lactylate DATEM (Diacetyl Tartaric (Acid) Ester of Monoglyceride) - an emulsifier primarily used in baking

INSTABILITY

Emulsion stability refers to the ability of an emulsion to resist change in its properties over time. There are three types of instability in emulsions: flocculation, creaming, and coalescence. Flocculation describes the process by which the dispersed phase comes out of suspension in the form of flakes. Coalescence is another form of instability - small droplets bump into each other within the media volume and continuously combine to form progressively larger droplets

DEMULSIFICATION Demulsifiers, or emulsion breakers, are a class of specialty chemicals used to separate emulsions (e.g. water in oil). It can be brought by boiling, freezing adding chemical to destroy emulsifying agent. They are commonly used in the processing of crude oil, which is typically produced along with significant quantities of saline water.

USES OF EMULSION

IN FOOD Oil-in-water emulsions are common in food:

Crema (foam) in espresso coffee oil in water (brewed coffee), unstable emulsion Mayonnaise and Hollandaise sauce - these are oil-in-water emulsions that are stabilized with egg yolk lecithin. Homogenized milk an emulsion of milk fat in water and milk proteins

Water-in-oil emulsions are less common in food but still exist:


Butter - an emulsion of water in butterfat Vinaigrette an emulsion of vegetable oil in vinegar.

IN MEDICINE In pharmaceutics, hairstyling, personal hygiene, and cosmetics, emulsions are frequently used. These emulsions may be called creams, ointments, liniments (balms), pastes, films, or liquids, depending mostly on their oil-to-water ratios, other additives, and their intended route of administration.

IN FIREFIGHTERS Emulsifying agents are effective at extinguishing fires on small, thin-layer spills of flammable liquids (Class B fires). Such agents encapsulate the fuel in a fuel-water emulsion, thereby trapping the flammable vapors in the water phase. Emulsifiers are not effective at extinguishing large fires involving bulk/deep liquid fuels, because the amount of emulsifier agent needed for extinguishment is a function of the volume of the fuel.

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