Smectites as colloidal stabilizers of emulsions: I. Preparation and properties of emulsions with smectites and nonionic surfactants

Bentonites, montmorillonites, and hectorites were used as colloidal stabilizers of oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions. The enrichment of the solid particles on the oil–water interface was attained by the addition of nonionic coemulsifiers (glycerol monostearate (GMS), deca(ethylene glycol) hexadecyl ether, alkyl polyglucoside, and lecithin). The clay mineral content of the aqueous dispersion was 2% (w/w). Stable emulsions required amounts of 0.5–1.5 g coemulsifier per 100 ml aqueous dispersion. Oil volume fraction was varied between φ=0.17 and φ=0.50. At φ>0.50 the O/W emulsions changed into water-in-oil (W/O) emulsions. The number average diameter of the droplets was about 25 nm. The volume average diameter (50–100 nm) more strongly depended on the clay mineral/coemulsifier combinations. Wyoming bentonite and the corresponding delaminated sodium montmorillonite were useful stabilizers; technical, soda-activated bentonites yielded unstable emulsions, or emulsification was not successful. A synthetic hectorite which caused pronounced thickening of the coherent phase was an effective stabilizer. Creaming was often observed because of the buoyancy of the large droplets. Most of the creamed emulsions were stable over long periods and did not separate an oil phase. The resistance against creaming increased with the oil volume fraction. An increase of the solid content had to be accompanied by an increase of the coemulsifier concentration to reduce the rate of creaming.