Chemical reaction mixing is divided into three categories, solid-liquid, gas-liquid, and liquid-liquid. Liquid-liquid mixing plays a significant role in increasing the mass area and heat transfer between chemical phases. This process is divided into miscible and immiscible liquids. Miscible liquids mixture is otherwise known as blending. On the other hand, immiscible liquids are used to mix water, hydrocarbons, and acidic or alkaline solutions. Combined with organic liquids, they produce various types of emulsion productions. Below are five types of mixing processes and techniques that can teach you about chemistry and help you in your life.  

Miscible Liquids

When liquids dissolve into one another, this is called miscibility. For example, the combination of carbonated water and orange juice to create soda is a miscible process. The process of blending miscible liquids doesn’t take a lot of techniques because the two liquids are compatible molecularly. Miscibles include injectables, ophthalmic products, mouthwash, and others.

Soluble Solid-Liquid

You probably already know about the process of soluble solid-liquid mixtures, which is what happens when you put powder into water to create a drink. This is the process that occurs when a solid dissolves into a liquid. While the amount of agitation depends on the solubility of the solid, it usually takes a longer amount of time than mixing two liquids. The best process is flow-driven mixing.

Insoluble Suspension in Liquids

An example of insoluble materials suspension is paint. Paint is created using suspension. Pigments and dyes are insoluble with other components such as solvents. While suspensions don’t have as much physical stability when compared to solutions, they are more chemically stable. Suspended materials are likely to settle, but the stability depends on the components that are being used and how they are blended. Products that are manufactured using this process often require shaking before use. 

Dispersion of Solids into Liquids

Dispersion is when you break down solids into liquids. Like putting fruit into a blender to create a smoothie, cutting solids down finely and shearing them into a liquid is a common practice. Many solid-liquid dispersion applications will settle or agglomerate when an agitator like a blender slows down. Solids may settle at the bottom of the blender if it is too slow. When you are trying to disperse solids into a liquid, high speed is more efficient.

Immiscible Liquids Emulsification

An extremely common industrial process called emulsification. This process makes immiscible liquids possible. While these liquids don’t easily mix, emulsification has proven very useful to create dairy products like milk, mayonnaise, and ice cream. A common natural emulsifier is egg yolk. Like dispersion, emulsifying immiscible liquids requires high agitation techniques using a shear impeller.

These five mixing processes can be used in many ways, but they aren’t the only blending techniques. While not directly related to solids, gases, or liquids, chemical reactions can be facilitated by larger batches of the chemical. It is inefficient when certain mixing techniques are adequate enough for small batches. When the batch is scaled up, however, it can lead to poor results.The primary driver to properly mix reactions is flow. Moderate agitation is necessary. Both heating and pressurization of a formula can create a chemical reaction that can be paired with the above mixing processes.

Chemical mixing processes are varied and useful. It depends on what you are trying to get done, but they can be very helpful in creating new products and combining specific solids, liquids, and gases. While you already know about many of these processes from experiencing them in your life, thinking outside the box about how they can be used will change your life.

You might not think that these processes are significant to your life, but when you think about how you use these processes the options are endless. Whether you are combining a liquid with a liquid, a solid with a liquid, or a gas with a liquid, blending processes are the basis for a lot of our products. Even if you don’t choose to use these mixing processes, knowing about them will help you think about blending in a new way. They are just one area of science that is applicable to your life in any way that you use it.