Cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) were incorporated in water-in-oil (W/O) microemulsions and emulsions, as
well as water-in-oil-in-water (W/O/W) multiple emulsions using soybean oil. The addition of CNF to
the aqueous phase expanded the composition range to obtain W/O/W emulsions. CNF also increased
the viscosity of the continuous phase and reduced the drop size both of which increased the stability
and effective viscosity of the emulsions. The effects of oil type and polarity on the properties of the
W/O/W emulsions were tested with limonene and octane, which compared to soybean oil produced a
smaller emulsion drop size, and thus a higher emulsion viscosity. Overall, CNF are a feasible alternative
to conventional polysaccharides as stability enhancers for normal and multiple emulsions that exhibit
strong shear thinning behavior