This work aims to evaluate the effect of two natural (whey protein isolate, WPI, and soy lecithin) and a synthetic (Tween 20) emulsifier on physicochemical properties and physical stability of food grade nanoemulsions. Emulsions stabilized by these three surfactants and different sunflower oil contents (30% and 50% w/w), as the dispersed phase, were fabricated at two levels of homogenization pressure (500 and 1000 bar). Nanoemulsions were characterized for droplet size distribution, Zeta-potential, rheological properties, and physical stability. Dynamic light scattering showed that droplet size distributions and D50 values were strongly affected by the surfactant used and the oil content. WPI gave similar droplet diameters to Tween 20 and soy lecithin gave the larger diameters. The rheology of emulsions presented a Newtonian behavior, except for WPI-stabilized emulsions at 50% of oil, presenting a shear-thinning behavior. The physical stability of the emulsions depended on the surfactant used, with increasing order of stability as follows: soy lecithin < Tween 20 < WPI. From our results, we conclude that WPI is an effective natural replacement of synthetic surfactant (Tween 20) for the fabrication of food-grade nanoemulsions.

A methodology is described for protecting Carbon-Carbon fiber-matrix composite (C-C) components from oxidation for extended use in oxidizing ambients for lifetimes of the order of 10,000 hours, from room temperature to 650°C. This time-temperature profile is relevant to applications such as airborne heat exchangers. Weight changes of oxidation-protected, pitch-fiber based C-C coupons in flowing dry air at 650°C are presented. Two types of external protective approaches are compared: (a) multi-phase, borophosphate-based fluidizing overseal coatings applied directly to C-C, and (b) the same overseal coatings applied to CVD SiOxCy coated C-C. The latter, dual-coating approach provides an effective engineering solution for the above temperature-time profile and is particularly applicable to thin (0.1–3 mm thick), complex-shaped articles. The behavior of inert substrates (oxidized silicon) with the same overseal coatings is compared to the behavior of the C-C substrates. This approach can be applied with optional modifications to suit other environmental conditions, and other carbon-containing materials, such as carbon foams and C-SiC composites.