At Proscien, we discovered that the emulsifier liquid crystal phases in an emulsion determine its rheological properties. These properties directly impact how the emulsion flows and handles during manufacturing and storage and how it feels on the skin.

The rheological properties of emulsions differ from those of suspensions. Unlike dispersed solid particles, the dispersed droplets of emulsions undergo deformation under shear. This occurs even at low dispersed-phase concentrations, leading to the development of stress and shear-thinning effects. Both the shear-thinning effect and the degree of viscoelasticity depend on two inherent properties: the volume fractions of the dispersed phase and its droplet size and distribution.

The viscoelastic behavior of liquid crystals is dependent on the characteristics of the phase they adopt. For example, lamellar liquid crystals behave like a gel while hexagonal liquid crystals behave like a viscoelastic fluid.