Nanoemulsions, kinetically stable oil droplets dispersed in water, are used in oil spill remediation and drug delivery through stabilization of the hydrophobic cargo via surfactants. The efficacy of nanoemulsions lies in the controlled stability of the droplet. Carboxylate-containing surfactants provide high control of nanoemulsion stability due to the switchable nature of the headgroup through diverse bonding interactions with changing environmental conditions. Spectroscopic investigations at planar model systems have provided molecular insights into the structure of these surfactants at the oil-water interface. However, there is a lack of carboxylate-containing surfactant structural data at the curved nanoemulsion interface, which has been shown to observe different adsorptive properties compared to the extended planar interface. This study employs a nonlinear, surface-specific technique, Vibrational Sum-Frequency Scattering Spectroscopy, which directly probes surfactant population and orientation at the curved oil-water interface. Nanoemulsions stabilized with carboxylate-containing surfactants are found to have unique interfacial structural properties with changing environmental conditions, which has significant implications for the informed rational design of more effective nanoemulsion technology. This is correlated with stability data to give a robust molecular level picture of the factors affecting stability and functionality of these droplets.

Switchable surfactants: Molecular insights into carboxylate functionalized nanoemulsions

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

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ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

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