The overall‐process dynamic mass transfer research of surfactant at the three‐phase emulsions interface

Abstract Surfactant‐stabilized multiphase emulsions are widely used. However, current studies on the dynamic adsorption of emulsions during flow are mainly focused on the droplet formation stage rather than the flow stage. In this study, the mass transfer of surfactants in microchannels during the droplet formation and flow phases (the overall process) was investigated and a mass transfer diffusion model and an adsorption kinetic model for emulsions were developed, which explained the mass transfer process in microchannels for low and high surfactant concentrations, respectively. Subsequently, dynamic interfacial tension values between the two phases were calculated using two surfactants (SDS and DTAB) to validate these models and the results were in good agreement with the experimental values. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of how surfactants diffuse throughout three‐phase emulsions, thus shedding light on the mass transfer mechanisms inherent in these complex systems.