title: Effect of molecular exchange on water droplet size analysis in W/O emulsions as determined by diffusion NMR.
abstract: Using NMR diffusometry, the diffusion of water and tetramethylammonium chloride was recorded in order to determine the water droplet size distribution in W/O emulsions. This study aimed at evaluating the effect of extradroplet diffusion of water on the estimated droplet size distribution upon comparison to the real droplet size distribution. The latter originated from the diffusion behavior of the tetramethylammonium cation (TMA+), which is known to have a much lower permeability through the oil phase as compared to water. Whereas both low-resolution and high-resolution pulsed field gradient NMR revealed that the water droplet size overestimation could be reduced selecting either a lower measurement temperature during diffusion analysis, or a smaller diffusion delay value Δ, still comparison to TMA+ diffusion indicated that artefacts were unavoidable even at low Δ and temperature. In order to correct for this extradroplet water diffusion phenomenon, different data analysis methods were evaluated. The previously described Pfeuffer exchange model could only partly compensate for the effect of extradroplet diffusion on the water droplet size determination. On the other hand, accurate water droplet size analysis results were obtained by correcting the experimentally determined diffusion distances based on Einstein's diffusion law. As such, reliable data could be obtained by low resolution NMR based on water diffusion at or even above room temperature.
authors.affiliation: Particle and Interfacial Technology Group, Department of Applied Analytical and Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium. Electronic address: Lien.Vermeir@UGent.be.
authors.forename: Lien
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vermeir
authors.affiliation: Particle and Interfacial Technology Group, Department of Applied Analytical and Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium; NMR and Structure Analysis Unit, Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281 S4, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium. Electronic address: P.Sabatino@yahoo.it.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sabatino
authors.affiliation: Particle and Interfacial Technology Group, Department of Applied Analytical and Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium. Electronic address: Mathieu.Balcaen@UGent.be.
authors.forename: Mathieu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Balcaen
authors.affiliation: Particle and Interfacial Technology Group, Department of Applied Analytical and Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium. Electronic address: Arnout.Declerck@UGent.be.
authors.forename: Arnout
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Declerck
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Food Technology and Engineering, Department of Food Safety and Food Quality, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium. Electronic address: Koen.Dewettinck@UGent.be.
authors.forename: Koen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dewettinck
authors.affiliation: NMR and Structure Analysis Unit, Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281 S4, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium. Electronic address: Jose.Martins@UGent.be.
authors.forename: José C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.affiliation: Particle and Interfacial Technology Group, Department of Applied Analytical and Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium. Electronic address: Paul.VanderMeeren@UGent.be.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Van der Meeren
keywords: Diffusion NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance); High-resolution NMR; Low-resolution NMR; Molecular exchange; Pfg-NMR diffusometry (pulsed field gradient); Tetramethylammonium chloride; W/O emulsion (water-in-oil); Water droplet size distribution analysis; Water exchange