All-oil Constructs Stabilized by Cellulose Nanocrystal Surfactants

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Colloid and Surface Chemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Stabilizing oil-oil interfaces is crucial for creating advanced reconfigurable materials.
• Existing surfactants are often incompatible with non-aqueous systems, limiting applications.
• A need exists for novel emulsifiers to structure all-oil systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an efficient strategy for stabilizing oil-oil interfaces using cellulose nanocrystals and POSS-NH2.
• To demonstrate the formation and function of cellulose nanocrystal surfactants (CNCSs) at interfaces.
• To explore the application of CNCSs in creating 3D-printable all-oil devices and porous materials.

Main Methods:

• Co-assembly of cellulose nanocrystals and amine-functionalized polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS-NH2) at oil-oil interfaces.
• In situ formation and characterization of cellulose nanocrystal surfactants (CNCSs).
• Utilizing CNCSs for high internal phase emulsion preparation and as templates for porous material synthesis.

Main Results:

• CNCSs exhibit enhanced binding energy and acid-dependent interfacial activity.
• Jamming of CNCSs at the interface creates robust assemblies with exceptional mechanical properties.
• Successful 3D printing of all-oil devices and synthesis of porous materials using water-sensitive monomers were achieved.

Conclusions:

• The co-assembly strategy provides an efficient method for stabilizing oil-oil interfaces.
• CNCSs offer a versatile platform for structuring all-oil systems.
• This approach opens new avenues for applications in microreactors, encapsulation, delivery, and tissue engineering.