Production and stability of carnauba wax nanoemulsion

Abstract

The study and manufacture of nanoemulsions from regional products has the potential to develop materials with optimized properties and add value to them. In this context, we evaluated the process of obtaining and analyzing nanoemulsions of carnauba wax, a Brazilian semiarid species. The method employed was high energy by ultrasound. The objective was to contribute to a better understanding of the relationships between production parameters and the properties of the nanoemulsions obtained. For this, they were characterized by measurements of particle size distribution, polydispersity index, zeta potential and pH. Nanoemulsions were synthesized at different concentrations and proportions of surfactants. The mean particle size remained around 69±0.63 nm and polydispersity index of 0.3±0.01. It was observed that the increase in surfactant concentrations and reduction in the emulsification time provided the nanoemulsions with smaller diameters. For pH values, the mean values of 7.5 to 8.5 were close in all treatments over time, confirming the absence of acids derived from surfactant hydrolysis. Stability monitoring after 10 days of production of the obtained nanoformulations confirmed good homogeneity of the formulations that remained stable, restricting the effects of coalescence on the system. These results open new opportunities compatible with industrial needs, contributing to cost reduction, thus leading to more sustainable treatments.