Beer drinkers who love the taste of beer foam will soon be able to enjoy a beer where the foam extends from the top to the bottom of the beer. All thanks to the results of a recent study by British scientists.
Most liquids such as beer and shampoo contain some additive to create foam. And to understand how different additives can affect stable foaming, the scientists tried shooting neutron beams at a liquid and analyzed how they reflected.
Most liquids such as beer and shampoo contain some additive to create foam.
Understanding how additives affect the foam’s structure, the team says, allows developers to create the “ideal” foam for different products.
For example, a beer drinker can enjoy a frothy beer from start to finish. On the other hand, this technology can be applied to improve the formulation of detergents used in washing machines to reduce the amount of foam when washing.
Dr. Richard Campbell at the University of Manchester said: “Foams are used in many products and developers have long tried to improve them for better performance. But researchers seem to have something to do with it. different interpretations. They only think about the general surface properties, not the structure created when the molecules of the foam assemble together on the surface of the bubble.”
A beer drinker can enjoy a frothy beer from start to finish.
Only using neutrons was the team able to find an important difference. Thanks to the new measurement technique, they were able to see how different additives arrange themselves at the surface of the liquid to stabilize the foam film.
Although it is quite easy to understand the state and behavior of foam in liquids containing only one additive. But the fact that the liquid contains too many additives makes it difficult to determine.
The team tested a mixture of surfactants, a compound that reduces surface tension, and a polymer called polyelectrolyte , which is mainly used to make shampoo.
In beer, for example, surfactants create a film around the bubbles, preventing the bubbles from popping by binding them to nearby air bubbles.
The researchers collected the data from the neutron reflection technique and displayed it on a computer. Through the data, the researchers gained a lot of important information about the surface of the foam. This makes it easier for them to figure out how to extend the life of the foam.
“For decades, scientists have been trying to control the longevity and stability of foam in liquids containing mixed additives. We believe the new method can be applied,” notes Campbell. with a wide range of systems, helping to develop products that are highly interoperable with materials science and the environment”.
Given the current high retail cost of foam-containing products such as detergents or shampoos, mastering foam maintenance or foam reduction techniques will be of great benefit to many chemical companies. cosmetics and beverages in the world.