As readers of this column certainly must by now know, emulsion stabilization is a favorite topic of mine. A key component of every emulsion is the thickener or, more properly, a thickener system that is employed. We all remember the Stokes Law, which tells us that an important factor in stabilizing emulsions is the viscosity of the external phase. Interestingly enough, often the primary function of thickeners is not to increase the viscosity of the emulsion, but to stabilize the emulsion or to affect application qualities.
