A novel perspective on emulsion stabilization in steam crackers

•Species soluble in water and in organic solvents were extracted from emulsions formed in steam crackers.•The most stabilizing fraction at pH 5.5 and 8.5 was the fraction soluble in organic solvents.•Stable interfaces were dominated by particles containing iron and sulfur, unstable interfaces contained mainly carbon.•Compressional film rigidity and surface charge did not explain the different stabilizing effect of the fractions analyzed.•Interfacial activity did not dictate the differences in the stability of the systems studied