Microgels are soft, deformable water-swollen cross-linked polymeric particles, which have the ability to undergo volume phase transition upon various stimuli. Some of them, such as poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (pNIPAM), are amphiphilic and adsorb at liquid interfaces. Hence, they can stabilize Pickering emulsions [1] or foam films [2] in good solvent conditions. Due to their softness, these particles can deform and adopt various conformations at the liquid interface, which are translated into different macroscopic properties of the resulting emulsions, in particular in their flow behavior. The conformation depends on microgel structural parameters and also processing conditions. Studying microgel adsorption at flat interfaces gives better insight into the link between microgel organization, their deformation and interfacial mechanical properties. This was achieved by two complementary methods: the spontaneous adsorption and the forced compression [3, 4]. Both equilibrium and kinetics aspects were studied. Using a systematic approach, we deciphered the role of structural parameters, in particular the cross-linking density and of electrostatics. This knowledge can be further exploited to design new stimuli-responsive emulsions, with tailored properties.

Soft microgels at liquid interfaces: model surfaces and emulsions

255th National Meeting (2018)

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