NanoTraPPED—A New Method for Determining the Surface Energy of Nanoparticles via Pickering Emulsion Polymerization

Surface energy with its polar and disperse components describes the physicochemical state of nanoparticles’ (NPs) surfaces, and can be a valuable parameter for predicting their bulk behavior in powders. Here, we introduce a new method, namely, Nanoparticles Trapped on Polymerized Pickering Emulsion Droplets (NanoTraPPED), for measuring the surface energy of a series of silica NPs bearing various surface functional groups. The method consists in creating Pickering emulsions from vinyl bearing monomers, immiscible with water, whereas NPs of interest have a stabilizing role, and in the process, become trapped at the monomer/water interface of emulsion droplets. The Pickering emulsion is polymerized, and polymer microspheres (colloidosomes) decorated with NPs are obtained. NanoTraPPED relies on measuring contact angles from the immersion depth of nanoparticles at the interface of various polymer colloidosomes with the electron microscope. The contact angle values are used as input for the Owens-Wendt-Rabel-Kaelble (OWRK) model, to quantitatively determine the total surface energy with water γNP/water, air γNP, and the corresponding polar and dispersive interaction components of NPs carrying -NH2, -SH, -OH, -CN and -C8 surface functional groups, ranking these according to their polarity. Our findings were confirmed independently by calculating the interfacial desorption energies of NPs from contact angles.

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An Oligoimide Particle as a Pickering Emulsion Stabilizer

Polymers ◽

10.3390/polym10101071 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 10 (10) ◽

pp. 1071 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Yu-Jin Cho ◽

Dong-Min Kim ◽

In-Ho Song ◽

Ju-Young Choi ◽

Seung-Won Jin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Particle Concentration ◽

Pickering Emulsion ◽

Pickering Emulsions ◽

Step Method ◽

Wetting Properties ◽

Emulsion Droplets ◽

Step Procedure ◽

Oil In Water ◽

One Step ◽

Oil Emulsions

A pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA) and 4,4′-oxydianiline (ODA)-based oligoimide (PMDA-ODA) was synthesized by a one-step procedure using water as a solvent. The PMDA-ODA particles showed excellent partial wetting properties and were stably dispersed in both water and oil phases. A stable dispersion was not obtained with comparison PMDA-ODA particles that were synthesized by a conventional two-step method using an organic solvent. Both oil-in-water and water-in-oil Pickering emulsions were prepared using the oligoimide particles synthesized in water, and the size of the emulsion droplet was controlled based on the oligoimide particle concentration. The oligoimide particles were tested to prepare Pickering emulsions using various kinds of oils. The oil-in-water Pickering emulsions were successfully applied to prepare microcapsules of the emulsion droplets. Our new Pickering emulsion stabilizer has the advantages of easy synthesis, no need for surface modification, and the capability of stabilizing both oil-in-water and water-in-oil emulsions.

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General destabilization mechanism of pH-responsive Pickering emulsions

Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics ◽

10.1039/c7cp04665k ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 19 (45) ◽

pp. 30790-30797 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Thriveni G. Anjali ◽

Madivala G. Basavaraj

Keyword(s):

Pickering Emulsion ◽

Pickering Emulsions ◽

Ph Responsive ◽

Emulsion Droplets

pH driven detachment of particles from Pickering emulsion droplets.

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Silica-Supported Styrene-Co-Divinylbenzene Pickering Emulsion Polymerization: Tuning Surface Charge and Hydrophobicity by pH and Co-Aid Adsorption

Processes ◽

10.3390/pr9101820 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (10) ◽

pp. 1820

Author(s):

Benoit Fouconnier ◽

M. Ali Aboudzadeh ◽

Francisco López-Serrano

Keyword(s):

Emulsion Polymerization ◽

Crosslinking Agent ◽

Pickering Emulsion ◽

Ammonium Persulfate ◽

Continuous Phase ◽

Pickering Emulsions ◽

Hybrid Particles ◽

Stabilizing Agents ◽

Pickering Emulsion Polymerization ◽

New Strategy

In this work, polymerizations of styrene (St) in the presence of divinylbenzene (DVB) as a crosslinking agent and sodium 4-vinylbenzenesulfonate (VBS) have been performed in Pickering emulsions, using silica nanoparticles (SNps) as stabilizing agents and ammonium persulfate as a hydrophilic initiator. In oil-in-water Pickering emulsions with alkaline continuous phase (pH = 9) at 1, 2, and 3 wt% DVB (relative to St), polydisperse spheroid copolymer submicronic nanoparticles were obtained. Comparatively, polymerizations performed in Pickering emulsions with acidic continuous phase (pH = 5) allowed preparing St-co-DVB microspheres with core–shell structures at 1 wt% DVB and St-co-DVB hybrid monoliths with bi-continuous morphologies at 2 and 3 wt% DVB. It is noteworthy that this work reports Pickering emulsion polymerization as a new strategy for preparing hybrid percolated scaffolds with bi-continuous porosity. The proposed mechanisms originated by pH, DVB, and VBS and the drastic impact caused on the final morphology obtained, either hybrid particles or monoliths, are discussed herein.

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Molecularly imprinted polymers fabricated by Pickering emulsion polymerization for the selective adsorption and separation of quercetin from Spina Gleditsiae

New Journal of Chemistry ◽

10.1039/c9nj03559a ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 43 (37) ◽

pp. 14747-14755 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Yanhua Sun ◽

Yange Zhang ◽

Zhiyu Ju ◽

Liangfeng Niu ◽

Zhaoxiang Gong ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Emulsion Polymerization ◽

Molecularly Imprinted Polymers ◽

Selective Adsorption ◽

Pickering Emulsion ◽

Pickering Emulsions ◽

Molecularly Imprinted ◽

Imprinted Polymers ◽

Pickering Emulsion Polymerization

Hydroxyapatite-stabilized Pickering emulsions and their application in the extraction of quercetin.

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Access to tough and transparent nanocomposites via Pickering emulsion polymerization using biocatalytic hybrid lignin nanoparticles as functional surfactants

Green Chemistry ◽

10.1039/d1gc00103e ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 23 (8) ◽

pp. 3001-3014

Author(s):

Adrian Moreno ◽

Mohammad Morsali ◽

Jinrong Liu ◽

Mika H. Sipponen

Keyword(s):

Antioxidant Activity ◽

Green Synthesis ◽

Glucose Oxidase ◽

Emulsion Polymerization ◽

Pickering Emulsion ◽

Pickering Emulsions ◽

Vinyl Polymers ◽

Pickering Emulsion Polymerization ◽

Green Route ◽

Functional Surfactants

Coating of lignin nanoparticles with chitosan and glucose oxidase allows for the green synthesis of acrylic and vinyl polymers in Pickering emulsions. The resulting dispersions offer a green route to tough composites equipped with antioxidant activity.

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Facile immobilization of lipase based on Pickering emulsion via a synergistic stabilization by palygorskite–enzyme

Clay Minerals ◽

10.1180/clm.2019.40 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 54 (3) ◽

pp. 293-298

Author(s):

Dong Li ◽

Min Shen ◽

Guofan Sun ◽

Huiran Jin ◽

Peng Cai ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Optical Microscopy ◽

Immobilized Lipase ◽

Aqueous Dispersion ◽

Pickering Emulsion ◽

Catalytic Performance ◽

Pickering Emulsions ◽

Emulsion Droplets ◽

Level Of Activity ◽

High Level

AbstractA Pickering emulsion was prepared via synergistic stabilization of a lipase and palygorskite particles. The optimum conditions for the stabilization of the Pickering emulsion, such as the concentrations of the palygorskite particles and lipase, were explored. The morphology of emulsion droplets was examined using digital optical microscopy and polarizing optical microscopy. The palygorskite–lipase co-stabilized Pickering emulsions were investigated by determination of the adsorption rate, pH and zeta potential of the aqueous dispersion, as well as by determining the contact angle values of the lipase solution on a palygorskite disc that was immersed in toluene. The catalytic performance of the immobilized lipase in the Pickering emulsion was studied via the investigation of its thermal stability, storage stability and reusability. The immobilized lipase showed greater stability than the free lipase. The lipase immobilized by Pickering emulsion retained a high level of activity even after seven periods of recycling.

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Preparation of Nanochitin/Polystyrene Composite Particles by Pickering Emulsion Polymerization Using Scaled-Down Chitin Nanofibers

Coatings ◽

10.3390/coatings11060672 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. 672

Author(s):

Ryuta Watanabe ◽

Kakeru Izaki ◽

Kazuya Yamamoto ◽

Jun-ichi Kadokawa

Keyword(s):

Emulsion Polymerization ◽

Nmr Spectra ◽

Composite Particle ◽

Aqueous Dispersion ◽

Pickering Emulsion ◽

Composite Particles ◽

Aqueous Acetic Acid ◽

Pickering Emulsions ◽

Pickering Emulsion Polymerization ◽

Chitin Nanofibers

In this study, we investigate the Pickering emulsion polymerization of styrene using scaled-down chitin nanofibers (SD-ChNFs) as stabilizers to produce nanochitin/polystyrene composite particles. Prior to emulsion polymerization, an SD-ChNF aqueous dispersion was prepared by disintegrating bundles of the parent ChNFs with an upper hierarchical scale in aqueous acetic acid through ultrasonication. After styrene was added to the resulting dispersions, the mixtures at the desired weight ratios (SD-ChNFs to styrene = 0.1:1–1.4:1) were ultrasonicated to produce Pickering emulsions. Radical polymerization was then conducted in the presence of potassium persulfate as an initiator in the resulting emulsions to fabricate the composite particles. The results show that their average diameters decreased to a minimum of 84 nm as the weight ratios of SD-ChNFs to styrene increased. The IR and 1H-NMR spectra of the composite particle supported the presence of both chitin and polystyrene in the material.

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Enzyme-Loaded Mesoporous Silica Particles with Tuning Wettability as a Pickering Catalyst for Enhancing Biocatalysis

Catalysts ◽

10.3390/catal9010078 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 78 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Tao Meng ◽

Ruixue Bai ◽

Weihao Wang ◽

Xin Yang ◽

Ting Guo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mesoporous Silica ◽

Enzymatic Reaction ◽

Interfacial Area ◽

Mass Transfer Process ◽

Pickering Emulsion ◽

Contact Angles ◽

Silica Particles ◽

Emulsion System ◽

Pickering Emulsions ◽

Two Phase

Pickering emulsion systems have created new opportunities for two-phase biocatalysis, however their catalytic performance is often hindered by biphasic mass transfer process relying on the interfacial area. In this study, lipase-immobilized mesoporous silica particles (LMSPs) are employed as both Pickering stabilizers and biocatalysts. A series of alkyl silanes with the different carbon length are used to modify LMSPs to obtain suitable wettability and enlarge the interfacial area of Pickering emulsion. The results show the water/paraffin oil Pickering emulsions stabilized by 8 carbon atoms silane grafted LMSPs (LMSPs_C8) with a three-phase contact angles of 95° get the relatively large interfacial area. Moreover, the conversion of enzymatic reaction catalyzed by LMSPs_C8 Pickering emulsion system is 3.4 times higher than that unmodified LMSPs with the reaction time of 10 min. Additionally, the effective recycling of LMSPs is achieved by simple low-speed centrifugation. As evidenced by a 6-cycles reaction of remaining 75% of relative enzymatic activity, the protection of 350–450 nm mesoporous silica particles can alleviate the inactivation of enzyme from the shear stress and make a benefit to form stabile Pickering emulsion. Therefore, the biphasic reactions in the Pickering emulsion system can be effectively enhanced through changing interfacial area only by the means of adjusting the wettability of biocatalysts.

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