Can emulsifiers cause Male Pattern Baldness?   No health alerts this month, we're just kidding.  Seriously - Emulsifiers are a critical component of metalworking fluids. They consists of a water-loving hydrophilic head and an oil-loving hydrophobic tail. The hydrophilic head is directed to the aqueous phase and the hydrophobic tail to the oil phase. The emulsifier positions itself at the oil/water  interface and by reducing the surface tension to provide a stabilizing effect to the emulsion.  Depending upon the type of emulsion the formulator wants to create and the water quality in which the product will be used, the type of emulsification system will be chosen. Two kinds of emulsifiers are normally used in industry, Ionic system and Non-Ionic systems.  Co-emulsifiers and coupling agents are used for stabilizing the system. The non-ionic emulsifiers cover the entire scale of HLB values and can be used in all products. Unfortunately they cost more than the ionic emulsifiers, which are the most common type. There are great variations, and in deciding a recipe, the formulator should understand end use application before choosing between the many different grades.   Nynas helps us understand importance of choosing right Emulsifier.