Particle-Stabilized Powdered Water-in-Oil Emulsions

The preparation of powdered water-in-oil (w/o) emulsions by gentle aeration of w/o emulsions stabilized by hydrophobic fumed silica particles in the presence of oleophobic fluorinated clay particles is reported for an alkane and a triglyceride oil. The resultant powders consist of water drops dispersed in oil globules themselves dispersed in air (w/o/a). They contain similar to 80 wt % of the precursor w/o emulsion and were stable to phase separation for over 1 year but release oil and water when sheared on a substrate. Above a certain ratio of w/o emulsion:fluorinated clay particles, the powdered emulsions partially invert to an emulsion paste, composed of air bubbles and water droplets dispersed in oil. The tap density and angle of repose of the powdered emulsions were measured and compared with those of the corresponding powdered oils making up the continuous phase of the precursor emulsions. The contact angles of water droplets under oil on glass slides spin coated with silica particles and oil drops and w/o emulsion droplets in air on compressed disks of fluorinated clay particles are consistent with the stabilization of w/o emulsions and powdered emulsions, respectively.