Modeling of the emulsion stability using fractal dimensions

• Published in: Chemical Industry and Chemical Engineering Quarterly 2008, Vol.14 (3), p.153-158
• Main Authors: Pasalic, Snezana, Jovanic, Predrag
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: emulsions; fractals; stability
• ISSN: 1451-9372; 2217-7434
• DOI: 10.2298/CICEQ0803153P

There are many developed strategies in the emulsion stability evaluation, for purpose of determining the life circle of emulsions. Most of them are based on the reological properties of the emulsions. There are very few which relay on the direct emulsion observations. In this paper we present the developed method for the emulsion stability evaluation by the direct observation of optical properties. As the stability quantification measure we propose the fractal dimension approach. The method is based on the measure of the emulsion transmittance properties, which are directly dependent on the emulsion stability at the moment of measurement. As the test emulsion the oil in the water emulsion was used. The system is classified as the stable emulsion and our intention was to find the moment when the emulsion starts to break. The emulsion transmittance properties were measured using an acquisition system, consisting of a CCD camera and a fast PC configuration equipped with the capturing software. The fractal dimensions were determined by the so called box counting method. The experimental emulsions were measured continuously within the period of 1200 h, from the moment of the emulsion creation. The changes of fractal dimensions were observed which indicates that the emulsion changed its state and therefore the stability during the time. Three regions of the emulsion life circle were divided according to the fractal dimensions measurement, which can be connected with the stable, unstable, and meta-stable states of the emulsion life circle. In the end, the model of the emulsion behavior was developed for the purpose of quantifying the changes in the experimental emulsion. nema