Projects per year
Abstract / Description of output
Recent large-scale computer simulations suggest that it may be possible to create a new class of soft solids, called 'bijels', by stabilizing and arresting the bicontinuous interface in a binary liquid demixing via spinodal decomposition using particles that are neutrally wetted by both liquids(1). The interfacial layer of particles is expected to be semi-permeable(2); hence, if realized, these new materials would have many potential applications, for example, as micro-reaction media. However, the creation of bijels in the laboratory faces serious obstacles(3). In general, fast quench rates are necessary to bypass nucleation, so that only samples with limited thickness can be produced, which destroys the three-dimensionality of the putative bicontinuous network. Moreover, even a small degree of unequal wettability of the particles by the two liquids can lead to ill-characterized, 'lumpy' interfacial layers and therefore irreproducible material properties(3). Here, we report a reproducible protocol for creating three-dimensional samples of bijel in which the interfaces are stabilized by essentially a single layer of particles. We demonstrate how to tune the mean interfacial separation in these bijels, and show that mechanically, they indeed behave as soft solids. These characteristics and their tunability will be of great value for microfluidic applications.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 966-971 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | Nature Materials |
Volume | 6 |
Issue number | 12 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Dec 2007 |
Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)
- MONODISPERSE SILICA SPHERES
- INTERFACIAL-TENSION
- WATER
- CAPSULES
- SURFACE
Fingerprint
Dive into the research topics of 'Bicontinuous emulsions stabilized solely by colloidal particles'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Projects
- 3 Finished
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Edinbugrh Soft Matter and Statistical Physics Programme Grant Renewal
Cates, M., Poon, W., Ackland, G., Clegg, P., Evans, M., MacPhee, C. & Marenduzzo, D.
1/10/07 → 31/03/12
Project: Research
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Edinburgh Soft Matter and Statistical Physics Group: Programme Grant
Cates, M., Ackland, G., Egelhaaf, S., Evans, M., Poon, W. & Pusey, P.
1/10/03 → 31/03/08
Project: Research
Research output
- 1 Article
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Quantitative Morphological Characterization of Bicontinuous Pickering Emulsions via Interfacial Curvatures
Reeves, M., Stratford, K. & Thijssen, J., 4 May 2016, In: Soft Matter. 12, p. 4082-4092Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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