Synthesis of Nano/Microstructures at Fluid Interfaces

Abstract

The generation of novel multifunctional materials with hierarchical ordering is a major focus of current materials science and engineering. For such endeavors, fluid interfaces, such as air-liquid and liquid-liquid interfaces, offer ideal platforms where nanoparticles or colloidal particles can accumulate and self-assemble. Different assembly processes and reactions have been performed at fluid interfaces to generate hierarchical structures, including two-dimensional crystalline films, colloidosomes, raspberry-like core-shell structures, and Janus particles, which lead to broad applications in drug delivery and controlled release, nanoelectronics, sensors, food supplements, and cosmetics.

The equilibrium shape of fluid-fluid interfaces: Derivation and a new numerical method for Young’s and Young-Laplace equations

“…[6][7][8][9][10][11][12] A fundamental role in the underlying physics is played by the capillary deformations of a fluid-fluid interface when it comes into contact with a solid surface. The capillary interactions induced by these deformations can be exploited, for example, in the selfassembly of interface adsorbed colloidal particles, [13][14][15][16] which can be directed by manipulating, e.g., the interface shape, [17][18][19] the particle shape, [20][21][22][23] or the particle concentration. 24,25 The capillary deformations may also play an important role in the adsorption of a single non-spherical colloidal particle at a fluid-fluid interface, which is a recurrent issue in soft matter (e.g., Refs.…”

Adsorption of Surface-Modified Silica Nanoparticles to the Interface of Melt Poly(lactic acid) and Supercritical Carbon Dioxide

“…It has been shown that if the binding energy of nanoparticles (the energy to detach particles from the interface) is high enough (compared with thermal fluctuations) the adsorption is irreversible. 7,9,40 Equation 1 is used to calculate binding energy of the particles at the interface. In addition to SEM, this is another proof showing irreversible adsorption of the nanoparticles to a PLA melt-air or supercritical CO 2 interface.…”

“…[1][2][3][4][5] In most cases dispersion of the nanoparticles within the polymer matrix of the nanocomposites is desired, however for some applications, such as colloidosomes, nanoparticle-armed polymer latex, Janus structures, and foams and emulsions stabilized by particles, localization is necessary. [6][7][8][9][10] Polymeric foams have the advantages of good mechanical, energy-absorbing, and thermal-insulation properties. 11 One interesting polymer for foam applications is poly (lactic acid) (PLA).…”

Understanding droplet bridging in ionic liquid-based Pickering emulsions

“…These applications range from self-assembly of membranes [1] and colloidosomes [2], to Pickering emulsion stabilization [3,4]. In contrast to top-down approaches such as lithography and microcontact printing, the self-assembly of particles offers a bottom-up approach to form micro-and nano-structures [2].…”