Interfacial Structure of Pickering Emulsions Kjersta Larson-Smith and Prof. Danilo Pozzo University of Washington Chemical Engineering, Seattle WA

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Interfacial Structure of Pickering
EmulsionsKjersta Larson-Smith and Prof. Danilo
PozzoUniversity of Washington Chemical
Engineering, Seattle WA

• Particle stabilized emulsions (Pickering) form
  during the processing of organic fluids in the
  presence of water and solid micro and/or
  nanoparticles.
• Particles are enriched at the oil-water interface
  due to a favorable energy of adsorption.
• Emulsion stability is controlled primarily by the
  structure of solid particles at the interface.
• Nanoparticles and microparticles differ in their
  emulsion stabilization mechanisms Steric vs.
  electrostatic
• Project Accomplishments
• Develop a scattering-based toolbox to probe the
  interfacial organization of the particles in the
  emulsion.
• Probe interfacial transitions that occur in
  Pickering emulsions that are subjected to
  changing environmental conditions (freeze-thaw
  cycles, pH and ionic strength).

Small Angle Neutron and X-ray Scattering
50 mm
Water
Side-Project A one-pot synthesis scheme was
developed to create amphiphilic nanoparticles
that strongly adsorb at interfaces and also
self-associate to form stable cluster structures
analogous to micelles. Emulsions stabilized by
amphiphilic particles are now being explored.
Model Emulsions Hexadecane-in-water emulsions
stabilized by functionalized gold, polystyrene or
silica nanoparticles (4-100 nm)
K. Larson-Smith, A. Jackson and D.C. Pozzo, J.
Colloid and Interface Science, 343 36 (2010)