Abstract
1. The distribution of some sodium alkyl benzene sulfonates over oil droplets and water phase in emulsions was determined by measuring the surface tensions of the emulsions. The emulsions were formed from white mineral oil/sulfonate systems either by spontaneous emulsification or by phase inversion. 2. The results show that with spontaneous emulsification part of the sulfonate originally present in the oil passes into the water phase and that at the interface of the oil droplets subsequently formed an adsorption equilibrium is established between the sulfonate in the interfacial layer and that in the water phase. 3. In spontaneous emulsification the quantities of emulsible oil that first come into contact with water give off a higher percentage of their sulfonate to the water than the quantities of oil subsequently emulsified. It seems that in any case a low minimum percentage of the sulfonate finds its way into the water phase, also in emulsification by phase inversion. 4. Based on data previously obtained on the structure of sulfonate solutions in hydrocarbons and on the above data, a picture is given of the possible mechanism of spontaneous emulsification.
Published Version
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