title: Gravity-induced encapsulation of liquids by destabilization of granular rafts.
abstract: Droplets and bubbles coated by a protective armour of particles find numerous applications in encapsulation, stabilization of emulsions and foams, and flotation techniques. Here we study the role of a body force, such as in flotation, as a means of continuous encapsulation by particles. We use dense particles, which self-assemble into rafts, at oil-water interfaces. We show that these rafts can be spontaneously or controllably destabilized into armoured oil-in-water droplets, which highlights a possible role for common granular materials in environmental remediation. We further present a method for continuous production and discuss the generalization of our approach towards colloidal scales.
authors.affiliation: Université Montpellier 2-CNRS, Laboratoire Charles Coulomb, UMR 5221, Cedex 5, Montpellier F-34095, France. manouk.abkarian@univ-montp2.fr
authors.forename: Manouk
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abkarian
authors.forename: Suzie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Protière
authors.forename: Jeffrey M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Aristoff
authors.forename: Howard A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Stone