Stabilization of some emulsions with nonionic surfactants

Abstract

Measurements were made of the density, droplet size, ζ potential, viscosity, surface viscosity, and elasticity of O W emulsions of dodecyl benzene with mixtures of tetradecyl polyoxyethylene alcohol and nonyl phenol polyoxyethylene alcohol as the emulsifying agents. Stabilization of the emulsions against coalescence of droplets appears to be due to the formation around the oil droplets of bimolecular films of the surfactants, approximately 10 nm thick with viscosities of about 10 −2 surface poise and shear elasticities of the order of 1 N m −1.