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The presence of dissolved gas is shown to have a key role in emulsion stability and emulsion polymerization. The observations have implications for hydrophobic interactions, as well as chemical and biological reactivity. Hydrophobic and micellar surfaces may present favorable adsorption surfaces for dissolved gas as gas hydrates (i.e. clathrates) and/or submicrobubbles, and that concentrating the dissolved gas can lead ultimately to cavitation as the two such surfaces approach.

The emulaion polymerization of styrene hae been studied using several surface chemical techniques.Evidence has been obtained from dye adsorption, latex morphology, and microelectrophoresis studies, which indicate that two quite different mechaniema can operate, depending on the process conditions. Use of a water-insoluble initiator appears to favor micellar nucleation, whereas persulfate initiator tends to produce latex via homogeneous nucleation in the aqueous phase. An atomic force microscope adapted to measure surface forcea was used to study the interactions between polystyrene in water and surfactant solutions. The strong hydrophobic attraction observed presenta a likely explanation for the buildup of latex particles in the homogeneous nucleation process.

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