Solubilizers are compounds that increase the solubility of other substances.
Solubilizers differ from solvents in their ability to form dispersions. They allow to maintain the dispersion of the immiscible substance in the system without the necessity of shaking. The use of solubilizers plays an important role in the production of cosmetics and personal hygiene products.
These substances can work according to one of the two mechanisms – hydrotropic or micellar one.
Hydrotropic solubilization consists in combining hydrophilic particles (solubilizers) with particles of a dissolved substance. The resulting unstable bondings, called associated molecules, have higher solubility than the substance introduced into the system itself. It is caused by the presence of hydrophilic groups of the solubilizer.
Micellar solubilization consists in combining solubilizers with surfactants introduced into the system. The resulting micellar systems increase solubility and stabilize the colloid.