Floribuna emulsifies but acuminata doesn't

[matsuri]

Can anyone please offer some insight? I have consistently had difficulties in A/B extractions with floribunda phyllodes, but have consistently never had any problems with acuminata phyllodes. The problem arises during basification. I combine the naptha with the acidified (HCl, pH ~2)aqueous, then slowly add NaOH while mixing gently. With floribunda, I get a nasty emulsion, however with acuminata I get incredibly good separation.

What's going on? Why are they so different if my technique is the same with both plants?

 

[TOXSIN]

Without knowing much about the particular plants and parts of the plants you use I would assume it would have to do with 1 certain parts of plants can handle less basification/acidity than others where as barks as opposed to leaves I'm sure require higher pH or lower PH for acidity. Maybe you're killing yield in the emulsion pulls, and pulling a lot of oils and fats try using semi smaller amounts and experiment with different PH and increase exponentially when doing larger pulls once you find a good method maybe?

 

[Hieronymous]

Can anyone please offer some insight? I have consistently had difficulties in A/B extractions with floribunda phyllodes, but have consistently never had any problems with acuminata phyllodes. The problem arises during basification. I combine the naptha with the acidified (HCl, pH ~2)aqueous, then slowly add NaOH while mixing gently. With floribunda, I get a nasty emulsion, however with acuminata I get incredibly good separation.

What's going on? Why are they so different if my technique is the same with both plants?

So you are adding the naptha before you add the NaOH ?

You really shouldn't need to acidify to PH 2 either, what tek are you following ?

 

[matsuri]

OK thanks for the tips. Sounds to me like the floribunda leaches more undesirables at low pH. I'll back off on the acid and try again. I had previously had excellent results with acuminata on a short (1 hour) acid leach time at pH 2, but floribunda appears not to like the aggression. Regarding the addition of solvent ahead of NaOH, I can't see how this would be a problem.

 

[matsuri]

Update:

I left some floribunda phyllode material to leach for a week at pH ~4, at ambient temperature, then filtered thoroughly and defatted with naphtha. The goal was to test whether the aggressive leach was causing the emulsion so I figured I'd try the least aggression possible first then build from there.

There was some white gunky crud at the O:A interface. I then basified with NaOH without the naphtha and large amount of fine precipitation occurred in the basified liquor. Adding the naphtha and stirring gently no longer created the nasty emulsion that I had previously observed.

Unfortunately there was nothing of interest in the evaporated naphtha. I'll try the procedure again with some heat during the leach, but I'm not expecting much from this tree. What a pity - it's been growing nicely in my yard for the last two years!