| abstract |
An oil in water emulsion comprises a continuous aqueous phase and a discontinuous oil phase which is either a hydrophobic liquid which is immiscible with the aqueous phase or is a solid phase obtained by providing an emulsion in the aqueous phase of a solution of potentially solid material in the hydrophobic liquid and converting this solution to a solid phase, and the emulsion is stabilised by the inclusion of water-soluble stabilising polymer in the aqueous phase and oil solubilising stabilising material, generally polymer, in the oil phase. The or each polymer is preferably a copolymer of hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups, preferably being formed by copolymerisation of water-soluble monomer and oil-soluble monomer that provide the desired groups in the polymer without further reaction. Partially hydrolysed polyvinyl alcohol can be used as the water-soluble polymer. |