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Updated: Feb 26, 2026

Modulating Shape of Polyester Based Polymersomes using Osmotic Pressure
Published on: April 21, 2021
Colloidal particle shape matters: Emulsion-directed shape design, interfacial mechanisms, and applications
Yongjiao Xiong1, Ziqian Zhao2, Lin Yang2
1State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, No. 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, PR China; Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada.
Tailoring particle shape using emulsion-directed synthesis controls interfacial behaviors for applications like Pickering emulsification and drug delivery. Understanding shape-driven mechanisms is key for designing advanced functional materials.
Area of Science:
- Colloid and interface science
- Materials science
- Chemical engineering
Background:
- Micro- and nanoparticles with controlled shapes exhibit unique interfacial properties crucial for various processes.
- Understanding the link between particle shape and interfacial phenomena is vital for targeted applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent advances in emulsion-directed synthesis for shape-controlled organic, inorganic, and hybrid colloidal particles.
- To elucidate the mechanisms by which particle shape influences interfacial behavior and performance.
- To establish correlations between shape-dependent interfacial properties and applications.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing oil-water interfaces as dynamic platforms for particle synthesis.
- Investigating the influence of emulsion type, composition, and flow conditions on droplet structure and particle morphology.
- Analyzing shape-dependent interfacial phenomena including adsorption, orientation, packing, and multiscale interactions.
Main Results:
- Emulsion-directed routes enable the shaping of diverse colloidal particles.
- Particle shape dictates interfacial adsorption, orientation, packing, and particle-fluid/particle-particle interactions.
- Shape-dependent interfacial behaviors correlate with performance in applications like Pickering emulsification, drug delivery, and environmental remediation.
Conclusions:
- Particle shape plays a critical role in modulating interfacial activity and particle evolution through a self-reinforcing loop.
- Challenges remain in achieving precise, scalable, and sustainable shape control.
- Advanced characterization, theory, simulation, and data-driven approaches are needed to accelerate the design of shape-engineered particles.
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