PH effect on properties of surfactant-free oil-in-water emulsion prepared with oleic acid

Size distribution, potential, and yield of surfactant-free oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion prepared with oleic acid were measured at various pHs after seven days from the emulsification. We found that the size distribution is almost the same regardless of pH from 9 to 3. The magnitude of potential and yield remains constant at pH from 9 to 6, and decreases at pH from 6 to 3. There is a correlation between the potential and the yield, but no correlation between the potential and the size, suggesting that the potential relates to stability of oleic acid droplets in water rather than their size.