“Oil and water do mix! - The Science of Emulsions”British Association for Chemical SpecialitiesThursday, 15 March 2018 from 09:45 to 15:30 (GMT) |
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Event Details
Emulsions are used in virtually all formulations to form a stable system containing both aqueous and non-aqueous ingredients. There are a number of ways to produce emulsions using surfactants, polymers and even solid particles. However, choosing the right emulsifier can be difficult and this can lead to instability such as separation and creaming.
This meeting will look at the science of emulsions. The first two sessions will provide an overview of how to produce a formulation and help on how to choose the right emulsifying system.
The remainder of the afternoon will be given over to how to homogenise an emulsion and characterisation, covering the effect of high shear mixing and emulsion analysis.
09.45 |
Registration – refreshments |
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10.30 |
Welcome and BACS future programme |
Chairman |
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10.40 |
Emulsions: Usually thermodynamically unstable - how do we slow kinetics? |
Bob Hefford, Independent Cosmetic Advice |
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11.10 |
Rational formulation of emulsions: goodbye HLB, hello HLD |
Steven Abbott, TCNF Ltd |
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11.40 |
Polymeric surfactants, structures and applications |
Guido Bognolo - WSA Associates, Belgium |
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12.10 |
LUNCH |
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13.10 |
Pickering emulsion stabilisation using synthetic clays, formulation examples and challenges |
Neil Grant, BYK Additives Ltd |
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13.40 |
Measuring emulsion de-stabilisation using light scattering (laboratory/online) - for when oil and water don't mix |
James Holloway - Turbiscan |
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14.10 |
Break |
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14.30 |
High Shear - emulsions the Silverson way |
Peter Kavanagh/ Ian Snowball - Silverson Machines Ltd |
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15.15 |
CLOSE |
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Synopses
Emulsions: Usually thermodynamically unstable - how do we slow kinetics?
Emulsions are usually thought of as a suspension of one immiscible phase in another such as oil and water. The term emulsion usually seems (to me at least) to imply that both materials are liquids but this is an area riddled with semantic difficulties - so when is an emulsion a dispersion or a colloid and vice versa? To make an emulsion usually requires the input of some energy (mixing) but is this always the case and is a microemulsion really an emulsion? The manufacture of emulsions is made much easier by the addition of surfactants and the properties of the final emulsion are (at its simplest) generally determined by particle size and the surfactant system used. Emulsions are found in many natural and man-made products and their properties are determined by the materials that are naturally available or are allowed by function or convention. Conventional emulsions are thermodynamically unstable meaning that eventually they will revert to their original two liquids and it is the job of the formulator to slow this process down so that we have time to sell and use the product. So what are the mechanisms of this instability and what can we do to slow it down sufficiently?
Rational formulation of emulsions: goodbye HLB, hello HLD
For decades, surfactant formulation has been crippled by an emphasis on wrong, or largely irrelevant parameters such as HLB and CMC. Formulation is much more rational when the focus is linked to a few, measurable parameters such as the Cc of a surfactant (blend), EACN of an oil (mixture), coupled with temperature and the presence of salts using the HLD equation. This approach is simple and powerful. Even better, there are a bunch of free-to-use apps that allow any formulator to be able to navigate through surfactant formulation space. The talk demonstrates the power of HLD using the apps, allowing you to start applying the technique as soon as you return to the lab.
Polymeric surfactants, structures and applications
Polymeric surfactants are interfacial active molecules characterized by structures with repetitive units. In their most effective realization these units include multiple interaction points with both the dispersed and the continuous phase, resulting in exceptional stabilization of the emulsion and dispersions. The first realizations were driven more by the search for adding value to otherwise waste or low value materials by using known and simple production technologies than from theoretical considerations. Lignin sulphonates and naphthalene sulphonates/formaldehyde condensates were among the first realization and, with quality upgrades, are still used in specific industry segments. The years that followed saw the emergence of “comb” polymeric structures where oligomeric or polymeric acrylates/methacrylates backbones were reacted with long-chains methoxy polyethylene glycols or in the more advance versions acrylates/methacrylates are reacted with all, methallyl, isoprenyl polyethylene glycols. Hundreds of thousands of tons are now consumed in the People Republic of China as concrete superplasticizers in support of a massive infrastructure investments programs. The high rise buildings, dwarfing in height eg, the Empire State Building, could not be realized without these superplasticizers. Not to mention the advantages they bring in areas like the Middle East with low water availability and high working temperatures exasperating evaporation. And adapted variants begin to outperform the traditional dispersants in another huge market, the gypsum boards. Polyacrylates are also useful emulsion stabilizers, although the structures used have shown poor electrolytes stability. Inulin derivatives are somewhat better, but are difficult to work with. While the polyacrylates technology approaches maturity, new opportunities emerge. The enzymatic OLMAG technology holds promised to produce ethylene oxide free alkyl polyglucosides and there are early reports that graphene oxides may start a new generation of polymeric surfactants.
Pickering emulsion stabilisation using synthetic clays, formulation examples and challenges
The presentation will give an overview of the work conducted on the utilisation of synthetic clays to stabilise oil-in-water emulsions. The author will present the fundamental work on the processes required to stabilise such emulsions. The results of specific formulation examples will be discussed showing how using synthetic clays can improve complexity of formulating versus surfactant stabilised emulsions. Finally, the challenges found in the preparation Pickering emulsions will also be addressed.
Measuring emulsion de-stabilisation using light scattering (laboratory/online) - for when oil and water don't mix
The rapid determination of an emulsion's quality / stability is crucial both in research and quality control environments. Using multiple light scattering in the laboratory, it is possible to measure emulsions without dilution, and measure both rates of size change and migration. Using this same technique in-line, ensures that emulsions can be made consistently, and eliminate product failures. The basis of multiple light scattering will be explained, and how the interaction of light with emulsion droplets allows the measurement of change in size / concentration to be carried out without dilution. Examples of real world testing will be presented, both in the laboratory and in-line.
When & Where
Macdonald Lymm Hotel, Lymm
Whitbarrow Road
WA13 9AQ Lymm
United Kingdom
Thursday, 15 March 2018 from 09:45 to 15:30 (GMT)
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Organiser
British Association for Chemical Specialities
The British Association for Chemical Specialities (BACS) is a trade association whose members operate in the speciality chemicals sector of the chemicals supply chain.
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