Chenxin Zhou, Yubo Li, Wenchan Pan, Kuan Ou, Yilei Li, Wanping Zhang, Xiaofeng Qiu
To accurately identify early destabilization signals in emulsions, this study employed multiple light scattering (MLS) technology combined with microscopic observation, particle size analysis and long-term macroscopic stability tests to perform a multi-scale evaluation on a series of emulsions. By comparing the migration of the transmission light inflection point, the average rate of change of backscattered light intensity (BSMRC) and the uniformity index (U) of samples under different temperatures, the intrinsic correlation between MLS signals and emulsion stability was systematically analysed. The results indicated that three typical destabilization phenomena can be predicted based on the characteristics of the inflection point changes. Further dynamic tracking of BSMRC and U revealed that for stable samples, both BSMRC and U remained at low levels. During destabilization at high temperature (45°C), a significant increase in BSMRC served as a precursor indicator of phase separation. During destabilization at low temperature (-16°C), the U value markedly increased while BSMRC changed gradually, reflecting mechanical damage induced by freezing. In conclusion, multiple light scattering technology can capture destabilization signals in emulsions in advance, with sensitivity superior to traditional visual observation, thereby providing an efficient and reliable technical approach for formulation screening and long-term stability prediction of emulsions.