emulsifies

Emulsifies is the third-person singular present tense of emulsify, a verb used in chemistry, cooking, and related fields to describe the act of forming an emulsion, a mixture of two immiscible liquids in which one liquid is dispersed as droplets within the other. Emulsification typically requires an emulsifier, a substance that stabilizes the interface between the liquids by adsorbing at the boundary, lowering interfacial tension, and providing steric or electrostatic repulsion that reduces droplet coalescence. Emulsions can be oil-in-water (O/W) or water-in-oil (W/O); stability depends on droplet size, emulsifier type and concentration, pH, ionic strength, temperature, and the method of mixing. Some emulsions are stabilized by surfactants or proteins, while others are stabilized by solid particles, a phenomenon known as Pickering stabilization.

Emulsification is achieved through energy input, such as high-shear mixing, homogenization, whipping, or ultrasonic treatment, often with an emulsifier present. In cooking, emulsifies appear in dressings, sauces, and mayonnaise, where vigorous blending distributes oil droplets throughout water. In industry and biology, emulsified systems are used in foods, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and energy applications, including fuels and lubricants emulsions.

Common emulsifiers include lecithin, monoglycerides, polysorbates, and edible proteins; these molecules orient at interfaces with hydrophobic regions in oil and hydrophilic regions in water. The term emphasizes the action of creating and maintaining a stable dispersion of droplets rather than mere mixing.