Impact of hydrophilic substances on Ostwald ripening in emulsions stabilized by varied hydrophilic group surfactants

This study investigated the impact of water-soluble substances on Ostwald ripening in emulsions stabilized by surfactants with different head groups (Brij S20 and Tween 60). Adding ≥20% (w/w) corn oil to the oil phase effectively inhibited Ostwald ripening of *n*-decane emulsions due to compositional ripening. The presence of glucose, maltose, or glycerol in the aqueous phase decreased the Ostwald ripening rate, regardless of emulsifier type. However, propylene glycol's effect depended on the emulsifier, accelerating ripening in Brij S20-stabilized emulsions but not in Tween 60-stabilized ones. This was attributed to propylene glycol's ability to alter interfacial characteristics. When using a mixture of *n*-decane and corn oil, glucose and maltose still inhibited ripening, but glycerol's effect was lost. These findings are crucial for formulating longer-lasting emulsion-based delivery systems.

Jihyeon Kim, Yejin Noh, David Julian McClements, Seung Jun Choi