Effect of surfactant phase in perfluorocarbon emulsification efficiency.

The effect of preparation temperature on the emulsification efficiency of perfluoro-3-butyltetrahydrofuran (FC-75) was investigated. Polyoxyethylene (POE) oleyl ether surfactants were used as the emulsifier(s) in a range of HLB values of 7.5 to 9.5. The emulsions were prepared by paddle mixing as a method of low-shear emulsification. After centrifugation of the resulting O/W emulsions, the volume of FC-75 which separated was utilized as a measure of the emulsification efficiency. In general, emulsions prepared at temperatures where the surfactant was in a lamellar-to-isotropic surfactant solution transition, L alpha----L3, displayed a better emulsification efficiency than those prepared with other surfactant phases.