Effect of surface elasticity on Ostwald ripening in emulsions

The coarsening of droplets in an emulsion with a size distribution that ini tially is given by the Lifshitz-Slyozov-Wagner (LSW) distribution is studie d by means of numerical calculations taking into account elastic interfacia l behavior. Droplets smaller than the critical radius will shrink while dro plets larger than the critical radius will grow. For a zero interfacial ela sticity the stationary LSW distribution is obtained and its coarsening rate matches theoretical values. The critical droplet radius, number-averaged d roplet radius, and volume-surface-averaged droplet radius increase with tim e. Low interfacial elasticity with respect to initial interfacial tension c auses the initial LSW distribution to become bimodal. The size distribution of the coarsening peak can still be described by the LSW distribution. The smaller peak that accumulates in time has an average radius that depends o n the ratio between the interfacial elastic modulus and the interfacial ten sion. For large ratios (E/sigma > 1), the system goes within a short time t o a stable situation without changes in particle size with time.