Amphiphilic Pickering Emulsifiers Based on Mushroom-Type Janus Particles

Abstract

Iron-based mushroom-type Janus particles consisting of a poly(sytrene-co-divinylbenzene) and a silica moiety both with controllable morphologies were successfully synthesized on the gram scale and investigated as surfactants for Pickering emulsions. Two oil-water model systems, namely toluene-water and vegetable oil-water, were stabilized, giving mainly water-in-oil (w/o) emulsions. By varying several parameters, including Janus particle morphologies and the oil-water ratio, fine-tuning of the emulsion systems was possible; it was even possible to invert the continuous phase to an oil-in-water (o/w) system. Furthermore, the emulsions were stable against coalescence and sedimentation and could be easily separated by centrifugation or a strong magnet. The synthesized mushroom-type Janus particles are suitable for creating Pickering emulsions and can be used as building blocks for creating nanostructures with tailored properties for specific applications.