Characterization of the response to moisture of talc and perlite in the environmental scanning electron microscope

Abstract

This article focuses on the application of ESEM to study the dynamic interaction of hydrophobic and hydrophilic filler materials of interest for the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. The ability of ESEM to attain different thermodynamic stages was used to record real-time information of hydration and dehydration processes of those materials in the presence of water and sweat (used as a model physiological fluid). This information is of great importance to understand the behavior of a product containing those fillers as well as to identify potential processing issues related to the interaction of the filler with moisture.