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Spontaneous Emulsification: Elucidation of the Local Processes.

ABSTRACT: While various attempts have been made to understand the mechanism of spontaneous emulsification within the scopes of equilibrium and nonequilibrium thermodynamics, the local processes underlying spontaneous emulsification still remain elusive. In this research, we investigate the local processes that involve the transfer of surfactants as well as water from an aqueous phase to oil, which results in the formation of a water-in-oil emulsion in the organic phase. Subsequently, these emulsions invert into the oil-in-water emulsion rather abruptly as they cross the phase boundary. Studies based on ultraviolet (UV) spectroscopy and nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations indicate that the crossing of the phase boundary may involve catastrophic explosions and subsequent assembly of the resulting fragments to other organized structures. These processes lead to the fluctuation of the component concentrations below the interface that also becomes evident in the fast (athermal) diffusion of the emulsion droplets from the interfacial region farther into bulk water. Spontaneous emulsification is found to be amplified in mixed solvents, but it can be arrested with additives that reduce solubility or inhibit the transfer of water and surfactants in the organic phase.

SUBMITTER: Kullappan M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10688179 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Spontaneous Emulsification: Elucidation of the Local Processes.

Kullappan Monicka M Patel Wes W Chaudhury Manoj K MK

Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids 20231113 47

While various attempts have been made to understand the mechanism of spontaneous emulsification within the scopes of equilibrium and nonequilibrium thermodynamics, the local processes underlying spontaneous emulsification still remain elusive. In this research, we investigate the local processes that involve the transfer of surfactants as well as water from an aqueous phase to oil, which results in the formation of a water-in-oil emulsion in the organic phase. Subsequently, these emulsions inver ...[more]

PMID: 37956099

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Project description:Interest in nanoemulsion technology has increased steadily in recent years for its widespread applications in the delivery of pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, and cosmeceuticals. Rational selection of the composition and the preparation method is crucial for developing a stable nanoemulsion system with desired physicochemical characteristics. In the present study, we investigate the influence of intricate factors including composition and preparation conditions that affect characteristic parameters and the stability of the nanoemulsion formation prepared by the spontaneous emulsification method. Octanoic acid, capryol 90, and ethyl oleate were selected to represent oil phases of different carbon-chain lengths. We explored the impact of the addition mode of the oil-Smix phase and aqueous phase, vortexing time, Km (surfactant/cosurfactant) ratio, and the replacement of water by buffers of different pH as an aqueous system. The phase behavior study showed that the Smix phase had a significant impact on the nanoemulsifying ability of the nanoemulsions composed of oil phases of varying carbon-chain lengths. The mode of mixing of the oil-Smix phase to the aqueous phase markedly influenced the mean droplet size and size distribution of the nanoemulsions composed of oil phases as capryol 90. Vortexing time also impacted the mean droplet size and the stability of the generated nanoemulsion system depending on the varying carbon-chain length of the oil phase. The replacement of the water phase by aqueous buffers of pH 1.2, 5.5, 6.8, and 7.4 has altered the mean droplet size and size distribution of the nanoemulsion system. Further, the Km ratio also had a significant influence on the formation of the nanoemulsion system. The findings of this investigation are useful in understanding how the formulation composition and process parameters of the spontaneous emulsification technique are responsible for affecting the physicochemical characteristics and stability of the nanoemulsion system composed of oil of varying carbon-chain (C8-C18) length.

Dataset Information

Spontaneous Emulsification: Elucidation of the Local Processes.

Publications

Spontaneous Emulsification: Elucidation of the Local Processes.

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