What is the name of a substance that stabilizes an emulsion?

An emulsifier is a substance that helps to stabilize an emulsion, which is a mixture of two immiscible liquids, such as oil and water. Emulsifiers work by reducing the surface tension at the interface of the two liquids, allowing them to mix more effectively. This is achieved through the unique structure of emulsifiers, which usually have both a hydrophilic (water-attracting) part and a hydrophobic (water-repelling) part. When added to an emulsion, the hydrophilic part interacts with water while the hydrophobic part interacts with oil, creating a barrier that prevents the two liquids from separating.

Stabilizers are generally broader in scope and can refer to any substance that helps to maintain the physical state of a mixture, but they do not specifically refer to the mechanism or properties needed to stabilize emulsions like emulsifiers do. Surfactants, while they can also serve the role of emulsifiers, are a more general class of compounds that reduce surface tension in fluids and can act on both liquid and solid surfaces. Homogenizers, on the other hand, are devices used to mechanically mix and break down particles in a liquid, effectively creating emulsions but not necessarily stabilizing them on a chemical level after