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Hydrophile-Lipophile Balance (HLB) Scale

Definition

  • The HLB scale is a numerical system that indicates the balance between the hydrophilic and lipophilic portions of a surfactant molecule.

  • Scale Range: 0 (completely lipophilic) to 20 (completely hydrophilic).

Hydrophile-Lipophile Balance (HLB) Scale
Hydrophile-Lipophile Balance (HLB) Scale

Calculation

  • For nonionic surfactants:


where:

Hydrophile-Lipophile Balance Scale

  • M_hydrophilic is the molecular mass of the hydrophilic portion.

  • M_Total is the total molecular mass of the surfactant.

Applications of Hydrophile-Lipophile Balance (HLB) Scale

  • Emulsion Type Determination:

    • O/W Emulsions: Surfactants with HLB values of 8-18.

    • W/O Emulsions: Surfactants with HLB values of 3-6.

  • Formulation Optimization: Selecting appropriate surfactants for desired properties.

  • Solubilizers and Detergents: High HLB surfactants are effective solubilizers.

Blending Surfactants

  • Surfactants can be blended to achieve a desired HLB value.

  • Equation:

Blending Surfactants

where:

  • fA​ and fB​ are the weight fractions of surfactants A and B.


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