RHEOLOGY OF INVERSE EMULSIONS WITH CHITOSAN, CTAB, AND CYCLOHEXANE

Inverse emulsions consisting of chitosan solution as the dispersed phase and cyclohexane as the continuous phase were obtained, using cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as surfactant. The obtained dispersions clearly presented pseudoplastic character, which was evidenced by an intense drop in apparent viscosity as shear rate was increased. This pseudoplastic behavior was related to the formation of chitosan loops from the micelles to the continuous phase, promoting intermicellar interactions. Apparent shear modulus determination supported the presence of temporary cross‐linking and results from creep experiments were analyzed using Burger's model, in order to separate viscous and elastic intermicellar interactions.