{"id":4016,"date":"2015-04-30T10:11:36","date_gmt":"2015-04-30T10:11:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mirror.s-vt.net\/emulgieren\/"},"modified":"2026-10-26T17:19:19","modified_gmt":"2026-10-26T16:19:19","slug":"emulsification","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.s-vt.net\/en\/emulsification\/","title":{"rendered":"Emulsification"},"content":{"rendered":"

An emulsion is a fine mixture of two immiscible liquids, as in a cream. Emulsification combines these phases into a stable system. The goal is to break up the inner phase into fine droplets and so enlarge the interface between the two liquids.<\/p>

<\/i>Fine droplets<\/strong>Slower creaming and more stable products.<\/span><\/div>
<\/i>The right technology<\/strong>Rotor-stator teeth designed precisely.<\/span><\/div>
<\/i>Hygienic<\/strong>Free of dead spaces and easy to clean.<\/span><\/div><\/div>

How emulsions stay stable<\/h2>

Emulsions<\/a> are usually cloudy and milky. How long they last depends, among other things, on temperature and pH. During emulsification, the interfacial tension between oil and water must be overcome. There are two ways to do this:<\/p>

<\/i>

Adding energy<\/h3>

Shear forces reduce the droplet size and enlarge the interface between the substances.<\/p><\/div>

<\/i>

Surfactants and emulsifiers<\/h3>

They have a lipophilic and a hydrophilic part and so mediate between the phases. They also prevent droplets from merging again.<\/p><\/div><\/div>

Nevertheless, emulsions remain unstable systems. Over time, fine droplets merge into larger ones until the emulsion breaks. Butter, for example, forms when cream, a fat-in-water emulsion, breaks. Finer droplets have less buoyancy and slow down creaming. In addition, substances can help that increase viscosity, make the droplets repel each other electrically or act as surface-active agents in other ways.<\/p>

Applications<\/h2>

A classic example is cosmetic emulsions that strengthen the acid mantle and barrier of the skin. Other typical applications:<\/p>

Creams<\/span><\/i><\/a>Sunscreens<\/span><\/i><\/a>Lotions<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/div>

What matters in emulsification<\/h2>

Besides process parameters such as temperature and pressure, the homogeniser technology determines quality, production speed and even feasibility. Key points are:<\/p>