%0 Journal Article
%T Reconfigurable Microfluidic Droplets Stabilized by Nanoparticle Surfactants
%J -
%D 2018
%R https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.7b07635
%X Interfacial assemblies of nanoparticles can stabilize liquid每liquid interfaces. Due to the interactions between functional groups on nanoparticles dispersed in one liquid and polymers having complementary end-functionality dissolved in a second immiscible fluid, the anchoring of a well-defined number of polymer chains onto the nanoparticles leads to the formation of NP每surfactants that assemble at the interface and reduce the interfacial energy. We have developed droplet interfaces covered with elastic, responsive monolayers of NP每surfactants. Due to the presence of an elastic layer at the interface, the droplets offer a greater resistance to coalescence and can prevent the exchange of materials across interfaces. Our results show the successful encapsulation of nanoparticles, dyes, and proteins with diameters in the 2.4每30 nm range. Further, we show that stable water-in-oil droplets can be generated for various combinations of polymer ligands and nanoparticles bearing complementary functionalities. These NP每surfactant-stabilized microfluidic emulsions would enable applications requiring liquid每liquid interfaces that can adapt and respond to external stimuli and whose mechanical properties can be easily tailored
%U https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsnano.7b07635