Tuning interfacial microstructure of alginate-based amphiphile by dynamic bonding for stabilizing Pickering emulsion

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Colloid and Surface Chemistry
• Polymer Science

Background:

• Polysaccharide-based soft colloidal particles offer tunable properties for interfacial applications.
• Dynamic bonding engineering is a key strategy for controlling interfacial film characteristics.
• Pickering emulsions (PEs) require effective stabilizers for broad pH range applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and investigate amphiphilic phenylboronic alginate soft colloidal particles (Alg-PBA) for stabilizing pH-responsive Pickering emulsions.
• To elucidate the role of dynamic bonding in the interfacial self-assembly and film formation.
• To explore the structure-function relationship of Alg-PBA at the oil-water interface and its impact on emulsion stability.

Main Methods:

• Stability analysis of Pickering emulsions (PEs).
• Quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) to assess interfacial microstructure and viscoelasticity.
• Laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for multi-scale structural analysis.

Main Results:

• Alg-PBA effectively stabilized PEs across a wide pH range.
• A thicker, stronger viscoelastic interfacial film formed due to dynamic boronate ester (BO) and hydrogen bonds.
• The microstructure of templated aerogels could be tuned by adjusting dynamic bonds.

Conclusions:

• Dynamic bonding-engineered polysaccharide soft colloidal particles provide robust stabilization for pH-responsive Pickering emulsions.
• The study establishes a structure-function relationship for Alg-PBA at interfaces, driven by dynamic bonds.
• This work presents a novel approach for polysaccharide soft material engineering using tunable interfacial properties.