ABSTRACT

Polymeric surfactants are used for the preparation of many disperse systems and their stabilization, of which we mention dyestuffs, paper coatings, inks, agrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, personal care products, ceramics, and detergents [1]. One of the most important applications of polymeric surfactants is in the preparation of oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions as well as solidliquid (S/L) dispersions [2,3]. In these cases, the hydrophobic portion of the surfactant molecule adsorbs “strongly” at the O/W interface or is dissolved in the oil phase, leaving the hydrophilic components in the aqueous medium, whereby they become strongly solvated by the water molecules. The extended hydrophilic chains provide effective steric stabilization, as will be discussed in the next section.