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Assembly and Characterization of Polyelectrolyte Complex Micelles
Published on: March 2, 2020
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Novel stabilisation of emulsions by soft particles: polyelectrolyte complexes
Ana Maria Bago Rodriguez1, Bernard P Binks, Tomoko Sekine
1Department of Chemistry, University of Hull, Hull, HU6 7RX, UK. b.p.binks@hull.ac.uk.
Faraday Discussions
|July 16, 2016
Summary
A novel polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) stabilizes oil-water emulsions. This particle stabilizer, formed from oppositely charged polymers, creates stable oil-in-water emulsions, outperforming individual polymers.
Area of Science:
- Colloid and Surface Science
- Polymer Science
- Materials Science
Background:
- Oil-water emulsions are crucial in various industries but often require effective stabilizers.
- Individual water-soluble polymers may not always provide adequate emulsion stability.
- Polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs) offer a potential route to novel stabilization mechanisms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce and characterize a novel particle stabilizer for oil-water emulsions based on polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs).
- To investigate the formation and properties of PECs from poly(4-styrene sulfonate) sodium salt (PSSNa) and poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDADMAC).
- To correlate the behavior of PECs in aqueous solutions with the stability of oil-in-water (o/w) emulsions.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of low polydispersity PSSNa and PDADMAC with similar molecular masses.
- Characterization of PEC particle formation in aqueous mixtures using techniques like zeta potential measurements.
- Preparation and stability assessment of oil-in-water (o/w) emulsions using the synthesized PECs.
- Investigation of the effects of PEC concentration, oil:water ratio, and salt concentration on emulsion stability.
Main Results:
- Spherical PEC particles (100-150 nm) formed in aqueous mixtures via electrostatic polymer interactions.
- Optimal emulsion stability (o/w) achieved near equal mole fractions of PSSNa and PDADMAC, indicated by zeta potential reversal.
- Emulsion stability is attributed to close-packed particle layers at drop interfaces and particle aggregation in the continuous phase.
- Salt concentration effects: initial aggregation, particle dissolution at high concentrations, and re-stabilization by uncharged polymers.
Conclusions:
- PECs formed from oppositely charged polymers can act as effective stabilizers for oil-water emulsions.
- The study demonstrates a novel approach to creating stable o/w emulsions using PECs, particularly effective when individual polymers fail.
- Understanding the influence of polymer concentration, ratio, and ionic strength is key to tailoring PEC-stabilized emulsions.
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