FAST DETERMINATION OF SPATIALLY LOCALIZED VOLUME FRACTIONS IN EMULSIONS

A rapid, noninvasive method for determining spatially resolved magnetic resonance (MR) spin-lattice relaxation rates (1/T1) was developed to study the dynamics of emulsions. The technique acquires data simultaneously along the entire emulsion profile. The observed relaxation rates (1/T1(obs)) for oil/water emulsions followed the equation: 1/T1(obs) = (phi-oil/T1(oil) + (phi-(water)/T1(water) where phi-(oil) + phi-(water) = 1. Volume fractions along the profile of a 40% (v/v) oil/water emulsion were calculated for several times during creaming to establish dynamics of the process. Separation velocities calculated from such profiles may be used to test (or correct) predictions of models for creaming emulsions.