Emulsion in Surface Chemistry

Emulsion is a very important phenomenon of Surface Chemistry. The emulsion is a very vital Concept in chemistry and questions from this Concept often come in not only in board examinations but they also come in competitive exams like UPSC examinations. Suppose a mixture of partially miscible liquids or immiscible liquids are shaken the gross dispersion of one liquid is obtained in the other and this process is popularly known as the emulsion. Emulsions are Basically liquid-liquid colloidal solutions which are the dispersion of fine parted off droplets in another liquid. There are mainly two types of emulsions. The first one is Oil Dispersed in water and the second one is water dispersed in oil. Oil dispersed in water can also be referred to as the O/W type emulsion. In O/W type water acts as the medium of dispersion in this system. For instance, liquid fats are always dispersed in milk. Another type of emulsion is the water dispersed in oil or W/O type emulsion. In this type of emulsion, the oil acts as a dispersion medium in this system. Butter and cream can be a very good example of a W/O type emulsion. 

What is Emulsion? 

The emulsion is generally a liquid-liquid colloidal mode that is the dispersion of evenly disassociated droplets of one liquid to another. Think of a mixture that is immiscible or partially miscible in nature is shaken, then gross dispersion in the liquid is obtained in another liquid. This phenomenon is called an emulsion. In simple words, the emulsion is a colloidal dispersion in which the dispersion medium, as well as the dispersed phase both, are in the liquid state. Following are a few important properties of the Emulsion process. They are as follows: – 

• Basically, the first property of emulsion of oil in water is usually not stable and at times they are divided into two layers of standing. 
• For stabilization in emulsion third components are added and it is named an emulsifying agent. An emulsifying agent creates an interfacial wall between the medium and the suspended particles. 
• For Water in dispersed oil, the principal emulsifying agent is natural or synthetic soaps, gums, proteins, etc. For Oil in dispersed water, the principal emulsifying agent is alcohol, fatty acids, lampblack, etc. 

Applications of Emulsion 

The emulsion is a liquid-liquid colloidal mode that is the dispersion of evenly separated liquid in another liquid. Following are some applications of emulsions in daily life. They are as follows: – 

• Several Oily drugs are utilized in the form of emulsions. 
• Asphalt water solutions are used for making roads and this is done absolutely without melting the asphalt. 
• The cleaning mechanism of clothes or crockery washing detergents is made based on an oil-water Emulsion system. 
• Certain disinfectants like suthol or Dettol are made based on oil dispersed in a water emulsion system by mixing them with water. 

Emulsifiers 

So, you must know that Emulsion is formed by shaking two mixtures of strong colloids and these emulsions are naturally unstable in nature. To make the emulsion stable an agent is being added to the solution and this agent is popularly called an emulsifier or emulsifying agent. Now let’s know about Demulsification. Demulsification is the process in which the division of a constituent’s liquids of Emulsion is being done. This division of Constituents liquids of Emulsion can be done through processes like freezing, boiling, or inserting a large amount of electrolysis, etc. 

Conclusion 

This article was detailed and brief on the idea of Emulsion in surface chemistry. Surface Chemistry is generally a study of chemical and physical processes that takes place in two phases of interface which consists of liquid gas, solid-liquid, solid-gas, and solid vacuum interface.  The emulsion can be said as part of surface chemistry. Emulsion means a liquid-liquid colloidal mode that is the dispersion of evenly separated droplets of liquid in another liquid. Suppose there is an immiscible or partially miscible liquid shaken, then gross dispersion of one liquid is obtained in the other one. The article also shows the application and properties of Emulsion in daily life.