Effect of chain length distribution on the phase behavior of polyglycerol fatty acid ester in water

The effect of the chain length distribution on the phase behavior, the stru cture of liquid crystals, and physicochemical properties was investigated i n water/polyglycerol fatty acid ester. Polyglycerol fatty acid esters with sharply distributed polyglycerol (10G*0.7L) and with broadly distributed po lyglycerol (10G0.7L) were used. Unreacted polyglycerol in both surfactants was removed. 10G*0.7L forms hexagonal liquid crystals at a higher concentra tion than 10G0.7L. The effective cross-sectional area of the lipophilic par ts in the hexagonal phase of 10G0.7L is smaller than that of 10G*0.7L owing to the difference in the chain length distribution. Evidently, 10G0.7L mol ecules are tightly packed in aggregates; therefore, 10G0.7L decreased the s urface tension more strongly and promoted emulsification.