Surfactant mixtures, stable gas-in-liquid emulsions, and methods for the production of such emulsions from said mixtures

A process for the preparation of stable gas microbubbles in aqueous or oil-based media comprising:

• forming at least a substantially saturated solution of a surfactant mixture comprising:
• (a) a member selected from the group consisting of glycerol monoesters of saturated carboxylic acids containing from about 10 to about 18 carbon atoms and aliphatic alcohols containing from about 10 to about 18 carbon atoms;
• (b) a sterol-aromatic acid ester;
• (c) a member selected from the group consisting of sterols, terpenes, bile acids and alkali metal salts of bile acids;
• (d) a member selected from the group consisting of sterol esters of aliphatic acids containing from 1 to about 18 carbon atoms;
• sterol esters of sugar acids;
• esters of sugar acids and aliphatic alcohols containing from about 10 to about 18 carbon atoms;
• esters of sugars and aliphatic acids containing from about 10 to about 18 carbon atoms;
• sugar acids;
• saponins;
• and sapogenins;
• and
• (e) A member selected from the group consisting of glycerol, glycerol di- or triesters of aliphatic acids containing from about 10 to about 18 carbon atoms and aliphatic alcohols containing from about 10 to about 18 carbon atoms;
• said components being present in said mixture in a weight ratio a:b:c:d:e of 2-4:0.5-1.5:0.5-1.5:0-1.5:0-1.5;
• in an aqueous or oil-based medium;
• shaking said substantially saturated solution of the surfactant mixture for from about 2 to about 10 seconds in the gaseous atmosphere at room temperature, thereby forming a concentrated gas-in-liquid emulsion.