Rheological Characterization and Stability of Emulsified Systems
Summary
Emulsified systems—mixtures of immiscible liquids such as oil and water—are central to food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic and industrial formulations. Their performance and shelf life depend on a delicate balance between interfacial phenomena, droplet microstructure and bulk flow behaviour. Rheological characterisation employs shear and extensional measurements, as well as oscillatory analyses, to quantify viscosity, elasticity and relaxation dynamics. By probing shear viscosity and viscoelastic moduli, researchers link macroscopic flow to microstructural features such as droplet size distribution, flocculation networks and depletion layers. Interfacial tension measurements complement bulk rheology by revealing the energy barriers to droplet coalescence. Stability against creaming, sedimentation, coalescence and Ostwald ripening can be predicted from rheological fingerprints: for example, a dominant elastic modulus at low frequency often correlates with inhibited droplet movement and enhanced kinetic stability. Recent advances include in situ microscopy combined with microrheology, enabling direct observation of droplet interactions under flow. Sustainable emulsifiers derived from natural polymers and waste streams are now tailored to confer both desirable texture and long‐term stability, underscoring the global significance of this field in forming safer, more efficient and ecologically responsible products.
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Rheological Characterization and Stability of Emulsified Systems publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in rheological characterization and stability of emulsified systems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Rheological characterisation: assessment of how a material deforms and flows under applied stress or strain, encompassing shear and extensional behaviour.
Shear viscosity: resistance to flow during sliding layers under an applied shear rate, indicative of internal friction.
Oscillatory rheology: dynamic testing of viscoelastic materials by applying sinusoidal stress or strain to extract storage (elastic) and loss (viscous) moduli.
Extensional rheology: measurement of resistance to stretching or elongation flow, relevant to coalescence and droplet breakup.
Interfacial tension: energy per unit area at the interface between two immiscible liquids, governing droplet formation and stability.
Ostwald ripening: growth of larger droplets at the expense of smaller ones driven by differences in chemical potential through molecular diffusion.
Creaming: upward migration of dispersed droplets under gravity, leading to concentration gradients and potential phase separation.
Coalescence: merging of adjacent droplets into larger ones, accelerating destabilisation of the emulsion.
References
- Emulsifiers from Partially Composted Olive Waste. Foods (2019).
- The Influence of Chemically Modified Potato Maltodextrins on Stability and Rheological Properties of Model Oil-in-Water Emulsions. Polymers (2018).
- The Emulsifying Properties of Hydrogenated Rosin Xylitol Ester as a Biomass Surfactant for Food: Effect of pH and Salts. Molecules (2020).
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