Influence of different surfactants on Pickering emulsions stabilized by submicronic silica particles

Pickering emulsions were prepared using wax and silica submicronic particles (650 nm), as a first step towards the synthesis of Janus particles. Surfactants added to silica particles control the emulsion stability and particles arrangement, i.e. their penetration depth into the wax and their ability to form a monolayer. Thus, a systematic study of surfactants is proposed.

Zeta potential measurements and sedimentation tests are conducted to evaluate interactions of two cationic (CTAB: hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide and DDAB: didodecyldimethylammonium bromide) and two polymeric surfactants with silica surface. Surfactants affinity for the wax is estimated by contact angle measurements. Emulsions stability is compared to evaluate the ability of particles to stabilize wax droplets. Through microscopic analyses, the penetration depth into the wax is measured as well as the ability to form a monolayer or multilayers/aggregates.

All surfactants modify silica surface properties, but only CTAB and DDAB give stable Pickering emulsions. Because of a better affinity for the wax, DDAB presents the best characteristics for Janus particle synthesis, allowing a larger variation of particles penetration depth into the wax.