a novel microfluidic device has been developed to measure stability of thin liquid films of water in oil emulsions using electrochemical perturbation of interfaces . this new device can be utilized in rapid classification of de - emulsifiers used in petroleum industries . although water / crude oil emulsions have been the primary focus of this research , this measurement platform can be used in other industries such as food , cosmetics and bio - engineering as well as environmental remediation of oil spills . the compact design of the device and replacement of the mechanical measurements such as pressure with electrical signal measurements contributes in substantial size reduction of the experimental platform so that it can be employed for onsite measurements in remote areas .