White Paper: Cutting Costs In Submicron Processing Is There A More Productive Way?

Today there are numerous consumer products on the market that take advantage of the benefits submicron emulsions or dispersions have to offer. Reduced droplet sizes can have various desirable affects on the characteristics of an emulsion. Fluidity or the optical properties of a mixture may be altered, while improving stability and reducing the need for thickening agents to avoid the sedimentation of ingredients. Another benefit to a topical emulsion such as in a cream or lotion is the ability for submicron droplets to enter the rough surface of the skin and form an occlusive film that enhances penetration of active ingredients (i.e. vitamins, antioxidants, etc.) or improve the protection characteristics of a sunscreen. Submicron droplets can even be suspended in larger droplets to form a multiple emulsion (i.e. Water-in- Oil-in-Water), which can be used for the sustained release of additive ingredients over time so long as the breakdown process is controlled on application.

There are a couple of processing methods currently used to produce submicron emulsions, however they all suffer from similar limitations. Restricted capacity and high energy consumption are common hurdles processors have to overcome in order to produce product cost effectively. What then is a company to do if they're looking to increase productivity while cutting cost on submicron processing?