Proposal Number: 0625191 Principal Investigator: Dai, Lenore Affiliation: Texas tech University Proposal Title: Exploring the Fundamentals and Applications of Pickering Emulsions
Intellectual Merit:
Emulsions are ubiquitous in natural and industrial processes. Conventional emulsions use organic surfactants or polymers as stabilizers. Although solid particle stabilized emulsions (Pickering emulsions) are often encountered in the recovery of crude oil, oil separation and cleaning, and wastewater treatment, the phenomenon is poorly understood and has been neglected for nearly a century. This proposal focuses on integrating research and education centering on exploring the fundamentals and applications of Pickering emulsions. The self-assembly of solid microparticles in Pickering emulsion will be investigated using a laser scanning confocal microscope. In particular, the influence of bulk solid particle concentration, particle size, particle wettability, and bulk viscosity on self-assembly will be studied. In addition, Pickering emulsions will be used as a novel template to synthesize composite-latexes through a one-step emulsion polymerization. In the proposed work composite latexes of different sizes as well as composite-latexes containing inorganic particles with variable size and functionality will be synthesized. Pickering emulsions offer a new paradigm of colloidal science, and the proposed work is anticipated to contribute significantly to a better fundamental understanding of the formation of Pickering emulsions. The proposed novel one-step Pickering emulsion polymerization adds a new dimension to emulsion polymerization and the synthesis of composite-latex materials.
Broader Impacts:
The integration between research and education will be performed to meet the NSF's goals for two strategic outcomes: People and Ideas. With a strong commitment to education, the PI will establish research-related open-ended projects in existing courses, promote undergraduate and graduate research, establish a new summer program to broaden the participation of under-represented groups, participate in the Teacher Training Institute, and promote technology transfer. Pickering emulsions involve an "innovative concept for particle use"; the proposed work is anticipated to provide new opportunities for widespread practical applications. Last, but not least, this project also provides a unique opportunity to meet our nation's need for a cutting-edge research with the potential of significant expansion in the 21st century.
