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  • Emulsifiers solid vs liquid

    Posted by ultraduy on June 21, 2019 at 9:46 am

    Hello guys,

    I have a question with regard to emulsification. Are solid emulsifiers better at emulsifying other solids, like waxes and stuff than liquid emulisifiers and vise versa?

    Looking forward for your replies!

    Dtdang replied 5 years, 4 months ago 6 Members · 7 Replies
  • 7 Replies
  • EVchem

    Member
    June 21, 2019 at 12:49 pm

     I think the physical state doesn’t matter necessarily (especially because emulsions are made at temperatures where everything is liquid). The intermolecular bonding forces that determine physical state might give you clues to the properties of the materials, but what matters most is the type of emulsion you are trying to make and the properties of all chemicals involved.

    For example cetyl alcohol (HLB 15.5) is a solid a room temperature, but it would be a poor choice of emulsifier for  an emulsion with cocoa butter (required HLB 6). 

    I’m no expert but  that’s what I thought of!

  • Fekher

    Member
    June 22, 2019 at 11:04 am

    @ultraduy  i think almost that solid emulsifier is better then liquid one cause the thicker product the more stable with right hlb  .

  • ngarayeva001

    Member
    June 22, 2019 at 11:13 am

    Not all solid emulsifiers have thickening properties.

  • Fekher

    Member
    June 22, 2019 at 12:17 pm

    yes @ngarayeva001  also there is liquid emulsifier with thicknening proprietes as sucragel .

  • MarkBroussard

    Member
    June 22, 2019 at 12:36 pm

    @ultraduy:

    The physical state of the emulsifier and the oil/butters/wax phase really don’t have anything to do with one another.  The important thing is for the HLB of the emulsifiers to match the HLB of the oils/butters/waxes.

    I would suggest that you read up on the HLB system and learn how to calculate the HLB of your combined components.

  • ultraduy

    Member
    June 28, 2019 at 10:34 am

    Thanks for the help guys, made a stable emulsion!

  • Dtdang

    Member
    June 30, 2019 at 5:30 pm

    Solid emulsifiers required heat-up. Liquid emulsifiers may  or may not required to heat-up depending on your formula.

    I am new and amateur in this field. What I learn so far that you need to experience with emulsifier, co-emulsifier and thickeners (water thickener and oil thickener). With few experiences, you will know them well.

    Without experience, use the freedom emulsifier. But, just focus to find active ingredients from suppliers.

    Freedom emulsifier such as sepiplus 400. It does not depend on thick or thin oil or butters, etc… It does depend on % oils and the suppliers provide the recommended % oil phase.

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