Effects of cellulose nanofibril on emulsion droplet size and stability

To deliver effective components to the skin, reduction of the droplet size is critical. In this study, the methods to decreasing emulsion droplet size were investigated using mechanical energy (high-pressure homogenization), and/or adding cellulose nanofibril in manufacturing process. The size of the emulsion droplets was measured by nanoparticle size analyzer. Cellulose nanofibril was preatreated as carboxymethylation, and nanofibrillation by mechanical grinding and high-pressure homogenization process. Size of cellulose nanofibrils was 5.3 ±2.0 nm as width and 850 ±240 nm as length. The droplet size of the emulsion produced by the homo-mixer process (Formulation 1), 421 nm, was reduced to 138 nm with high-pressure homogenizer process, which is that of Formulation 2. Formulation 3 was prepared with Formulation 1 to cellulose nanofibril, and its droplet size was reduced to 115 nm. Formulation 4, which cellulose nanofibril was added to and proceeded with high pressure homogenizer, had quite a lower droplet size, 16 nm than others. In nanoemulsification by high-pressure homogenizer, The addition of cellulose nanofibril improved the stability of the emulsion. © 2020 Korean Technical Assoc. of the Pulp and Paper Industry. All rights reserved.