Physics (Internal)

Pickering Emulsions and Beyond

This event is part of the Biophysics/Condensed Matter Seminar Series.

Abstract

        Emulsions are ubiquitous in natural and industrial processes.  Conventional emulsions use organic surfactants or polymers as stabilizers. Although solid particle stabilized emulsions (Pickering emulsions) are often encountered in crude oil recovery, oil separation, cosmetic preparation, and wastewater treatment, the phenomenon is not well-understood.  There is limited existing technology of using solid particulates as commercial stabilizers, although they open a new paradigm of emulsion stabilization and provide various opportunities for practical applications. 

Here we investigate the fundamentals and applications of Pickering emulsions. Using laser scanning confocal microscopy, we have studied the self-assembly of solid particles at oil-water and ionic liquid based interfaces. In addition, we have employed molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to understand the self-assembly of nanoparticles at these interfaces. We have also employed Pickering emulsions as a new, convenient, and unique experimental model system to investigate the dynamics of microparticles at liquid-liquid interfaces and validated interfacial microrheology. Finally, we have developed novel one-step Pickering emulsion polymerization to synthesize “smart” composite nanoparticles.