title: Surfactant-free high internal phase emulsions stabilized by cellulose nanocrystals.
abstract: Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) are rod-like colloidal particles that irreversibly adsorb at the oil-water interface to produce ultrastable emulsions. When the internal phase fraction is increased, these CNCs can produce gel-like oil-in-water high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs) in which more than 90% of the hydrophobic phase is stabilized by less than 0.1% wt. of CNCs. However, a one-step preparation of HIPEs is not possible, and incorporation of the high internal phase fraction requires the prior preparation of Pickering emulsions. We propose that this two-step process to create CNC HIPEs relies on a swelling process of the droplets that does not desorb the CNCs from the interface, decreasing the coverage ratio of the droplets and leading to coalescence. As a result, this process leads to a drops deformation and a new interfacial networking organization as revealed by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images.
authors.affiliation: INRA, UR1268 Biopolymeres Interactions Assemblages , Nantes, France. isabelle.capron@nantes.inra.fr
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Capron
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cathala
mesh_terms: D002482:Cellulose / Q000737:chemistry*; D004655:Emulsions / Q000737:chemistry*; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D009821:Oils / Q000737:chemistry; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000737:chemistry; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D004655:Emulsions; D009821:Oils; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D014867:Water; D002482:Cellulose