[anibajaj]

Hello,

Would be grateful if someone could help with this. I have an emulsifier/surfactant made from the polymerization between Polymerized glycerol/Polymerized glycerine and Polymerized Ricinoleic Acid (Castor oil derivative). This emulsifier has a water content of less than 1%.

How can I concentrate this emulsifier? If I simply distil, I would only remove a small portion of the already minimal water.

Would polymerizing both the Glycerine and the Ricinoleic give me a more concentrated product? Or can I use a distillation method that distils the more active part of the emulsifier? Could any polymerization experts come up with a solution?

I hope I am making sense.

Thanks,

Ani

[macman104]

I have no idea if it applies, but can you simply use some sort of drying agent (MgSO₄, CaCl₂, etc.) to remove the water?  Then simply filter out the drying agent?

[anibajaj]

The 1% water "reduction" will only give me a 1% increase in concentration. I need a concentration of another 30%. Any thoughts?

[macman104]

So, you have the:

water
emulsifer
what else do you have in there?

I suggested the removal of water since I was under the impression it was just your water and emulsifer.  What else is in the mixture?

[anibajaj]

There is nothing else except the ready to use emulsifier, and the less than 1% water that remains after the reaction is complete. The water isn't really the issue because it is so minor.

The real question is how do I make this emulsifier more concentrated- it can't be water removal since there is barely any. I was hoping a polymerization expert could address this issue and suggest how a polymerized product can be made more concentrated. Would polymerizing the Glycerine more do the trick?

Sorry it is a loose question, and possibly peculiar to the product in question and can only be answered by someone who has researched it.

Always hoping someone may come through..

[Borek]

There is nothing else except the ready to use emulsifier, and the less than 1% water that remains after the reaction is complete. The water isn't really the issue because it is so minor.

You are contradicting yourself - if in your mixture there is nothing but 1% water and emulsifier, it can't be made more concentrated. After you remove water you are left with 100% emulsfier, aren't you?

[DrCMS]

The product you have can only be concentrated by 1% and you already knew that.

Your only other option is a different emulsifier which may or may not work in your end application.

What you need to do is some development work yourself and stop asking stupid question here hoping for a miracle.

[anibajaj]

DrCMS,

You are a charmer...

[Gerard]

try to experiment,plot a water content reduction vs. the oil concentration.....and find the equilibrium line...
if the plot falls below the equilibriumline then thats the fartherst you can purify..
-you can use the ethanol-water analogy..
when you distilll water-ethanol mixture the farthers you can get is somewhere between 90 to 95 % water....