The Influence of Silica Nanoparticles On The Preparation and Stability of O/W Emulsions

The effect of silica nanoparticle addition on the stability of O/W emulsions initially stabilized by lecithin or oleylamine has been investigated. The synergy between silica nanoparticles and the emulsifiers at stabilizing the oil-water interface has been established. The influence of variation in the number of homogenization cycles, the ratio of emulsifier to silica, oil load and the initial location of nanoparticles on the size distribution of emulsion droplets have been studied. freeze-fracture scanning electron microscopy was used to study the interfacial structure of the emulsion droplets. The results confirm improvement in the long term physical stability of emulsions in the presence of silica nanoparticles