Tailoring the microstructure of particle-stabilized wet foams

Hydrophobisation of Silica Nanoparticles Using Lauroyl Ethyl Arginate and Chitosan Mixtures to Induce the Foaming Process

We studied silica suspensions with chitosan and biodegradable synthetic surfactant lauroyl ethyl arginate (LAE). Hydrophilic and negatively charged silica nanoparticles were neutralised due to the coating with chitosan. That presence of LAE led to the partial hydrophobisation of their surface, which favoured their attachment to the surface of a thin foam film. It was found that the presence of small and medium-sized (6–9 nm) hydrophobic particles in the interfacial layer of lamella foam film inhibited the coalescence and coarsening processes, which prolonged the life of the foam. Furthermore, hydrophobising of 30 nm particles allowed the formation of large aggregates precipitating from the mixture under steady-state conditions. These aggregates, however, under the conditions of the dynamic froth flotation process in the foam column, were floated into the foam layer. As a result, they were trapped in the foam film and Plateau borders, effectively preventing liquid leakage out of the foam. These results demonstrate the efficiency of using chitosan-LAE mixtures to remove silica nanoparticles from aqueous phase by foaming and flotation.

Characteristics and main factors of foam flow in broken rock mass in coal mine goaf

To protect the environment and reduce the occurrence of coal mine fire, foam injection in goafs is an effective measure for preventing and extinguishing mine fires. The flow characteristics of foams injected into goafs have a significant impact on the prevention and extinguishment of such fires. To study the flow characteristics of foam injected into a goaf, we first independently constructed a set of experimental platforms for the visualization of goafs. Next, we performed physical experiments on foam injection using similarity theory. Flow characteristics were simulated under different foam concentrations, flow rates, and goaf porosities. The exponential function was found to provide a good fit to the trajectory of the foam's stacking edge in the goaf. According to the foam injection volume, the trend of the fitting equation parameter a could be divided into two stages. The first stage was the rapidly decreasing stage, and the second stage was the stable stage. It was inferred that the stacking height and diffusion radius of the foam under different conditions were related to the speed of liquid film drainage. The results of this study can provide a valuable reference for the use of fire prevention and extinguishment technology in the goaf.

Superstable Wet Foams and Lightweight Solid Composites from Nanocellulose and Hydrophobic Particles

Colloids are suitable options to replace surfactants in the formation of multiphase systems while simultaneously achieving performance benefits. We introduce synergetic combination of colloids for the interfacial stabilization of complex fluids that can be converted into lightweight materials. The strong interactions between high aspect ratio and hydrophilic fibrillated cellulose (CNF) with low aspect ratio hydrophobic particles afford superstable Pickering foams. The foams were used as a scaffolding precursor of porous, solid materials. Compared to foams stabilized by the hydrophobic particles alone, the introduction of CNF significantly increased the foamability (by up to 350%) and foam lifetime. These effects are ascribed to the fibrillar network formed by CNF. The CNF solid fraction regulated the interparticle interactions in the wet foam, delaying or preventing drainage, coarsening, and bubble coalescence. Upon drying, such a complex fluid was transformed into lightweight and strong architectures, which displayed properties that depended on the surface energy of the CNF precursor. We show that CNF combined with hydrophobic particles universally forms superstable complex fluids that can be used as a processing route to synthesize strong composites and lightweight structures.

Particle-laden fluid/fluid interfaces: physico-chemical foundations

Particle-laden fluid/fluid interfaces are ubiquitous in academia and industry, which has fostered extensive research efforts trying to disentangle the physico-chemical bases underlying the trapping of particles to fluid/fluid interfaces as well as the properties of the obtained layers. The understanding of such aspects is essential for exploiting the ability of particles on the stabilization of fluid/fluid interface for the fabrication of novel interface-dominated devices, ranging from traditional Pickering emulsions to more advanced reconfigurable devices. This review tries to provide a general perspective of the physico-chemical aspects associated with the stabilization of interfaces by colloidal particles, mainly chemical isotropic spherical colloids. Furthermore, some aspects related to the exploitation of particle-laden fluid/fluid interfaces on the stabilization of emulsions and foams will be also highlighted. It is expected that this review can be used for researchers and technologist as an initial approach to the study of particle-laden fluid layers.

Synergistic and Competitive Adsorption of Hydrophilic Nanoparticles and Oil-Soluble Surfactants at the Oil-Water Interface

Fundamental insights into the interplay and self-assembly of nanoparticles and surface-active agents at the liquid-liquid interface play a pivotal role in understanding the ubiquitous colloidal systems present in our natural surroundings, including foods and aquatic life, and in the industry for emulsion stabilization, drug delivery, or enhanced oil recovery. Moreover, well-controlled model systems for mixed interfacial adsorption of nanoparticles and surfactants allow unprecedented insights into nonideal or contaminated particle-stabilized emulsions. Here, we investigate such a model system composed of hydrophilic, negatively, and positively charged silica nanoparticles and the oil-soluble cationic lipid octadecyl amine with in situ synchrotron-based X-ray reflectometry, which is analyzed and discussed jointly with dynamic interfacial tensiometry. Our results indicate that negatively charged silica nanoparticles only adsorb if the oil-water interface is covered with the positively charged lipid, indicating synergistic adsorption. Conversely, the positively charged nanoparticles readily adsorb on their own, but compete with octadecyl amine and reversibly desorb with increasing concentrations of the lipid. These results further indicate that with competitive adsorption, an electrostatic exclusion zone exists around the adsorbed particles. This prevents the adsorption of lipid molecules in this area, leading to a decreased surface excess concentration of surfactants and unexpectedly high interfacial tension.

pH-Responsive Pickering Foams Generated by Surfactant-Free Soft Hydrogel Particles

Pickering foams are foams stabilized by particles and are generally known to have good stability. A special subclass of particle-stabilized foams includes stimuli-responsive Pickering foams that can be formed or deconstructed by applying an external stimuli or changing the environmental conditions; such intelligent particles could find use in many practical applications. Here, we synthesized surfactant-free biocompatible poly[2(diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate] (PDEAEMA) hydrogel particles (HGPs) by emulsion polymerization. The morphology, structure, and surface charge of the HGPs were characterized by TEM, DLS, and the zeta potential, respectively. We have observed that the pH values of the aqueous solution have a strong influence on the formation of the Pickering foams in the presence of PDEAEMA HGPs. Namely, at pH values ≤4.0 no Pickering foams were produced, while at pH values >4.0 stable Pickering foams were formed. Moreover, the height, size and bubble size distribution of Pickering foams are strongly influenced by the pH values of aqueous solution and PDEAEMA HGPs concentration. The formed Pickering foams in basic aqueous solution can all be conveniently deconstructed by changing the pH values to below 4.0. Interestingly, the dried lamellas of the Pickering foams were constituted by either monolayers or multilayers of PDEAEMA HGPs as demonstrated by SEM.

Physico-chemical foundations of particle-laden fluid interfaces

Particle-laden interfaces are ubiquitous nowadays. The understanding of their properties and structure is essential for solving different problems of technological and industrial relevance; e.g. stabilization of foams, emulsions and thin films. These rely on the response of the interface to mechanical perturbations. The complex mechanical response appearing in particle-laden interfaces requires deepening on the understanding of physico-chemical mechanisms underlying the assembly of particles at interface which plays a central role in the distribution of particles at the interface, and in the complex interfacial dynamics appearing in these systems. Therefore, the study of particle-laden interfaces deserves attention to provide a comprehensive explanation on the complex relaxation mechanisms involved in the stabilization of fluid interfaces.

Gas Bubbles Stabilized by Janus Particles with Varying Hydrophilic-Hydrophobic Surface Characteristics

Micrometer-sized polymer-grafted gold-silica (Au-SiO₂) Janus particles were fabricated by vacuum evaporation followed by polymer grafting. The Janus particle diameter, diameter distribution, morphology, surface chemistry, and water wettability were characterized by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and contact angle measurements. The optical microscopy results showed that the polystyrene (PS)-grafted Au-SiO₂ Janus particles exhibited monolayer adsorption at the air-water interface and could stabilize bubbles, preventing their coalescence for more than 1 month. The hydrophobic PS-grafted Au and hydrophilic SiO₂ surfaces were exposed to the air and water phases, respectively. Bare Au-SiO₂ and poly(2-(perfluorobutyl)ethyl methacrylate) (PPFBEM)-grafted Au-SiO₂ Janus particles could also stabilize bubbles for up to 2 weeks. By contrast, bare silica particles did not stabilize bubbles and were dispersed in water. The bubbles that formed in the PS-grafted Janus particle system were more stable than those formed in the bare Au-SiO₂ Janus particles, PPFBEM-grafted Au-SiO₂ Janus particles, and SiO₂ particle systems because of the high adsorption energy of the PS-grafted particles at the air-water interface.

Early Dynamics and Stabilization Mechanisms of Oil-in-Water Emulsions Containing Colloidal Particles Modified with Short Amphiphiles: A Numerical Study

Emulsions stabilized by mixtures of particles and amphiphilic molecules are relevant for a wide range of applications, but their dynamics and stabilization mechanisms on the colloidal level are poorly understood. Given the challenges to experimentally probe the early dynamics and mechanisms of droplet stabilization, Brownian dynamics simulations are developed here to study the behavior of oil-in-water emulsions stabilized by colloidal particles modified with short amphiphiles. Simulation parameters are based on an experimental system that consists of emulsions obtained with octane as the oil phase and a suspension of alumina colloidal particles modified with short carboxylic acids as the continuous aqueous medium. The numerical results show that attractive forces between the colloidal particles favor the formation of closely packed clusters on the droplet surface or of a percolating network of particles throughout the continuous phase, depending on the amphiphile concentration. Simulations also reveal the importance of a strong adsorption of particles at the liquid interface to prevent their depletion from the droplet surface when another droplet approaches. Strongly adsorbed particles remain immobile on the droplet surface, generating an effective steric barrier against droplet coalescence. These findings provide new insights into the early dynamics and mechanisms of stabilization of emulsions using particles and amphiphilic molecules.

Microstructure and Elastic Properties of Colloidal Gel Foams

Colloidal gel foams are composed of a continuous, attractive particle network that surrounds and interconnects dispersed bubbles. Here, we investigate their stability, morphology, and elasticity as a function of foaming intensity, surfactant concentration and hydrophobicity, pH, and colloid volume fraction. Upon optimizing these parameters, highly stable colloidal gel foams are created. Within this stability region, the specific interfacial area between the continuous (colloidal gel) and dispersed (bubble) phase can be varied over 2 orders of magnitude leading to a concomitant increase in storage modulus, which scales nearly linearly with specific interfacial area. Our observations provide design guidelines for attractive-particle stabilized foams that enable the programmable assembly of architected porous materials.

Foams stabilized with solid particles carrying stimuli-responsive polymer hairs

Submicrometer-sized polystyrene (PS) particles carrying stimuli-responsive poly[2-(diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate] (PDEA) hairs with degrees of polymerization of 30, 60 and 90 were synthesized by dispersion polymerization and used as a particulate foam stabilizer. The effects of the composition of these PDEA-PS particles and foam formation conditions on foamability, foam stability and foam microstructures were extensively investigated. The hairy particles were found to work as an effective stabilizer of aqueous foams in basic media, in which the PDEA hairs are not protonated and thus the particle surfaces exhibit suitable wettability at the air-water interface. In contrast, little to no foam or unstable foams were formed in acidic aqueous media, in which the hairs are protonated and are therefore water soluble. Particles carrying longer hairs resulted in greater foamability and more highly stabilized foams that were capable of persisting for more than one month. Foams were found to form in a narrower pH range when using PS particles with longer hairs, due to both entropic and image charge effects. Data obtained from the touch mixer mixing method showed that both foamability and foam stability increased with increases in the concentration of polymer particles up to 10 wt%, because higher concentrations allowed greater air-water interfacial areas to be stabilized. Conversely, only minimal foam was obtained at and above 15 wt% because of the high viscosity of the resulting aqueous particle dispersion. Trials using the homogenizer mixing method showed that foam with a cream-like texture could be formed even at 40 wt% particle concentration as a result of the improved mixing efficiency. Defoamation could be induced by exposing the foams to HCl vapor. Exposure to acidic vapor led to in situ protonation of the 2-(diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate residues, rendering the PDEA hairs hydrophilic and water soluble, and desorption of the PDEA-PS particles from the air-water interface.

Stable Small Composite Microbubbles Decorated with Magnetite Nanoparticles - A Synergistic Effect between Surfactant Molecules and Nanoparticles

Three approaches to preparing iron oxide nanoparticle-decorated microbubbles (NP-decoMBs) have been investigated. The size and stability characteristics of these microbubbles (MBs) were investigated by optical microscopy, laser light scattering and an acoustical method, and compared with those of non-decorated MBs. First, magnetite nanoparticles (Fe3O4NPs) grafted with dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) were synthesized and used to prepare MBs by brief sonication under an atmosphere of air saturated with perfluorohexane. These MBs had a rather large mean radius (r ~ 12 µm), and a moderate volume of encapsulated gas. Remarkably, a second approach that consisted of dispersing unbound DMPC molecules in the aqueous phase along with DMPC-grafted Fe3O4NPs prior to sonication was found to drastically change the situation, allowing the obtaining of monomodal populations of much smaller (r ~ 0.6 µm) NP-decoMBs. The latter were echogenic and stable for at least 10 days at room temperature, without significant variation of their size characteristics. In a third approach, NP-decoMBs were directly prepared from dispersions of naked Fe3O4NPs in the presence of DMPC. The resulting NP-decoMBs suspensions consisted of broadly distributed bubble populations mostly containing two populations (with r ~ 5 and ~ 15 µm). Control microbubbles made of DMPC only were small (r ~ 1.3 µm), although not as small as those formed from DMPC-grafted Fe3O4NPs in the presence of free DMPC, and were less stable, with a room temperature half-life of only ~1 day. These observations imply that there is a synergy between the Fe3O4NPs and the DMPC molecules in the air/water interfacial film stabilization process.

Self-assembled nanoparticle-stabilized photocatalytic reactors

The efficiency of nanostructured photocatalysts continues to improve at an impressive pace and is closing in on those needed for commercial applications; however, present-day reactor strategies used to deploy these nanostructures fail to achieve the sufficient areas (>1 m(2)) needed for solar application. Here we report the Self-assembled Nanoparticle-stabilized Photocatalytic Reactor (SNPR), a fully-scalable reactor strategy comprised only of nanoparticles adsorbed at the fluid-fluid interfaces of oil-in-water emulsions, water-in-oil emulsions, and CO2-in-water foams. We show that SNPRs naturally disperse over open water and need no physical substrate, requiring only photocatalysts and fluid. In environmental applications the SNPR provides more than double the reaction rate of a comparable single-phase reactor. In continuous mode, the SNPR achieves 100% photocatalyst retention and processes 96% of the stream over 20 hours; in contrast, the performance of a comparable aqueous suspension declines to zero over this interval, losing all photocatalyst to the outlet stream. We further characterize the photoactivity of individual photocatalytic droplets, with reactants in both the continuous and dispersed phases. These results demonstrate SNPRs as a robust and flexible reactor strategy and a route-to-scale for nanomaterials.

Mechanisms behind the stabilizing action of cellulose nanofibrils in wet-stable cellulose foams

The principal purpose of the investigation was to clarify the mechanisms behind the stabilizing action of cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) in wet-stable cellulose foams. Following the basic theories for particle-stabilized foams, the investigation was focused on how the surface energy of the stabilizing CNF particles, their aspect ratio and charge density, and the concentration of CNF particles at the air-water interface affect the foam stability and the mechanical properties of a particle-stabilized air-liquid interface. The foam stability was evaluated from how the foam height changed over time, and the mechanical properties of the interface were evaluated as the complex viscoelastic modulus of the interface using the pendant drop method. The most important results and conclusions are that CNFs can be used as stabilizing particles for aqueous foams already at a concentration as low as 5 g/L. The major reasons for this were the small dimensions of the CNF and their high aspect ratio, which is important for gel-formation and the complex viscoelastic modulus of the particle-filled air-water interface. The influence of the aspect ratio was also demonstrated by a much higher foam stability of foams stabilized with CNFs than of foams stabilized by cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) with the same chemical composition. The charge density of the CNFs affects the level of liberation within larger aggregates and hence also the number of contact points at the interface and the gel formation and complex viscoelastic modulus of the air-water interface. The charges also result in a disjoining pressure related to the long-range repulsive electrostatic pressure between particle-stabilized bubbles and hence contribute to foam stability.

pH- and temperature-responsive aqueous foams stabilized by hairy latex particles

Polystyrene (PS) particles carrying pH- and temperature-responsive poly[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate] (PDMA) hairs (PDMA-PS particles) were synthesized by dispersion polymerization. The diameter, diameter distribution, morphology, chemical composition and surface chemistry of the particles were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), elemental microanalysis, dynamic light scattering and zeta potential measurements. The hydrophilicity-hydrophobicity balance of the PDMA could be tuned by varying both pH and temperature and therefore these sterically stabilized particles acted as doubly stimuli-responsive stabilizers for aqueous foams by adsorption and desorption to/from the air-water interface. At and above pH 6.0, in which range the PDMA hairs were either non-protonated or partially protonated, particle-stabilized foams were formed at both 23 and 55 °C. The foam prepared at 55 °C was the more stable of the two, lasting for at least 24 h, whereas the 23 °C foam destabilized within 24 h. SEM studies indicated that the particles adsorbed at the air-water interface as monolayers at 23 °C and as multilayers at 55 °C. At and below pH 5, in which range the hairs were cationic, hydrophilic and water-soluble, no foam was formed irrespective of temperature. Rapid defoaming could be induced by lowering the solution pH at both temperatures, due to rapid in situ protonation of the PDMA hairs, prompting the PDMA-PS particles to desorb from the air-water interface. The foaming and defoaming cycles could be repeated at least five times.

Synergistic formation and stabilization of oil-in-water emulsions by a weakly interacting mixture of zwitterionic surfactant and silica nanoparticles

Oil-in-water emulsions were formed and stabilized at low amphiphile concentrations by combining hydrophilic nanoparticles (NPs) (i.e., bare colloidal silica) with a weakly interacting zwitterionic surfactant, caprylamidopropyl betaine, to generate a high hydrophilic-lipophilic balance. The weak interaction of the NPs with surfactant was quantified with contact angle measurements. Emulsions were characterized by static light scattering to determine the droplet size distributions, optical photography to quantify phase separation due to creaming, and both optical and electron microscopy to determine emulsion microstructure. The NPs and surfactant acted synergistically to produce finer emulsions with a greater stability to coalescence relative to the behavior with either NPs or surfactant alone. As a consequence of the weak adsorption of the highly hydrophilic surfactant on the anionic NPs along with the high critical micelle concentration, an unusually large surfactant concentration was available to adsorb at the oil-water interface and lower the interfacial tension. The synergy for emulsion formation and stabilization for the two amphiphiles was even greater in the case of a high-salinity synthetic seawater aqueous phase. Here, higher NP adsorption at the oil-water interface was caused by electrostatic screening of interactions between (1) NPs and the anionic oil-water interface and (2) between the NPs. This greater adsorption as well as partial flocculation of the NPs provided a more efficient barrier to droplet coalescence.

Unraveling the combined effects of dielectric and viscosity profiles on surface capacitance, electro-osmotic mobility, and electric surface conductivity

We calculate the electro-osmotic mobility and surface conductivity at a solid-liquid interface from a modified Poisson-Boltzmann equation, including spatial variations of the dielectric function and the viscosity that where extracted previously from molecular dynamics simulations of aqueous interfaces. The low-dielectric region directly at the interface leads to a substantially reduced surface capacitance. At the same time, ions accumulate into a highly condensed interfacial layer, leading to the well-known saturation of the electro-osmotic mobility at large surface charge density regardless of the hydrodynamic boundary conditions. The experimentally well-established apparent excess surface conductivity follows from our model for all hydrodynamic boundary conditions without additional assumptions. Our theory fits multiple published sets of experimental data on hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces with striking accuracy, using the nonelectrostatic ion-surface interaction as the only fitting parameter.

Functionalization of microstructured open-porous bioceramic scaffolds with human fetal bone cells

Bone substitute materials allowing trans-scaffold migration and in-scaffold survival of human bone-derived cells are mandatory for development of cell-engineered permanent implants to repair bone defects. In this study, we evaluated the influence on human bone-derived cells of the material composition and microstructure of foam scaffolds of calcium aluminate. The scaffolds were prepared using a direct foaming method allowing wide-range tailoring of the microstructure for pore size and pore openings. Human fetal osteoblasts (osteo-progenitors) attached to the scaffolds, migrated across the entire bioceramic depending on the scaffold pore size, colonized, and survived in the porous material for at least 6 weeks. The long-term biocompatibility of the scaffold material for human bone-derived cells was evidenced by in-scaffold determination of cell metabolic activity using a modified MTT assay, a repeated WST-1 assay, and scanning electron microscopy. Finally, we demonstrated that the osteo-progenitors can be covalently bound to the scaffolds using biocompatible click chemistry, thus enhancing the rapid adhesion of the cells to the scaffolds. Therefore, the different microstructures of the foams influenced the migratory potential of the cells, but not cell viability. Scaffolds allow covalent biocompatible chemical binding of the cells to the materials, either localized or widespread integration of the scaffolds for cell-engineered implants.

Surface functionalization of alumina ceramic foams with organic ligands

Different anchoring groups have been studied with the aim of covalently binding organic linkers to the surface of alumina ceramic foams. The results suggested that a higher degree of functionalization was achieved with a pyrogallol derivative--as compared to its catechol analogue--based on the XPS analysis of the ceramic surface. The conjugation of organic ligands to the surface of these alumina materials was corroborated by DNP-MAS NMR measurements.

pH-responsive aqueous foams stabilized by hairy latex particles

Polystyrene (PS) latex particles carrying pH-responsive poly[2-(diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate] (PDEA) hair (PDEA-PS particles) were synthesized by dispersion polymerization and characterized in terms of diameter, diameter distribution, morphology, chemical composition, surface chemistry, and pH-response using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), elemental microanalysis, (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, the laser diffraction method, and zeta potential measurements. The hairy particles can act as pH-responsive stabilizers of aqueous foams by adsorption at the air-water surface. Above pH 8.0, where particles have nonprotonated PDEA hair, which is relatively hydrophobic, particle-stabilized foams are stable for at least 1 month. Optical microscopy and SEM confirmed that flocculated PDEA-PS latex particles were adsorbed at the air-water interface and stabilized the aqueous foams. At pH 6.1 and 7.1, relatively stable foams can be prepared that remain stable for at least 24 h. SEM studies indicated that the PDEA-PS particles were adsorbed at the air-water interface as a monolayer at pH 6.1. At pH 5.1 and 3.1, where the particles have cationic water-soluble PDEA hairs with hydrophilic character, no foam was formed. Rapid defoamation can be induced by lowering the solution pH; the addition of acid caused the in situ protonation of 2-(diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate residues, which impart water-soluble hydrophilic character to the PDEA hair, and the PDEA-PS particles desorbed from the air-water interface. The foaming and defoaming cycles could be repeated at least five times.

Unifying model for the electrokinetic and phase behavior of aqueous suspensions containing short and long amphiphiles

Aqueous suspensions containing oppositely charged colloidal particles and amphiphilic molecules can form fluid dispersions, foams, and percolating gel networks, depending on the initial concentration of amphiphiles. While models have been proposed to explain the electrokinetic and flotation behavior of particles in the presence of long amphiphilic molecules, the effect of amphiphiles with less than six carbons in the hydrocarbon tail on the electrokinetic, rheological, and foaming behavior of aqueous suspensions remains unclear. Unlike conventional long amphiphiles (≥10 carbons), short amphiphiles do not exhibit increased adsorption on the particle surface when the number of carbons in the molecule tail is increased. On the basis of classical electrical double layer theory and the formerly proposed hemimicelle concept, we put forward a new predictive model that reconciles the adsorption and electrokinetic behavior of colloidal particles in the presence of long and short amphiphiles. By introducing in the classical Gouy-Chapman theory an energy term associated with hydrophobic interactions between the amphiphile hydrocarbon tails, we show that amphiphilic electrolytes lead to a stronger compression of the diffuse part of the electrical double layer in comparison to hydrophilic electrolytes. Scaling relationships derived from this model provide a quantitative description of the rich phase behavior of the investigated suspensions, correctly accounting for the effect of the alkyl chain length of short and long amphiphiles on the electrokinetics of such colloidal systems. The proposed model contributes to our understanding of the stabilization mechanisms of particle-stabilized foams and emulsions and might provide new insights into the physicochemical processes involved in mineral flotation.

Controlling phase distributions in macroporous composite materials through particle-stabilized foams

Aqueous foams stabilized by ceramic and thermoplastic polymeric particles provide a general method for producing novel porous materials because their extraordinary stability against disproportionation and drainage allows them to be dried and sintered into solid materials. Here, we report the different microstructures that can be obtained from liquid foams stabilized by binary mixtures of particles when the interfacial energies between the particles and the air-liquid interfaces are manipulated to promote either preferential or competitive self-assembly of the particles at the foam interface. Modification of the interfacial energies was accomplished through surface modification of the particles or by decreasing the surface tension of the aqueous phase. Materials derived from liquid foams stabilized by poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and alumina (Al(2)O(3)) particles are investigated. However, as is shown, the method can be extended to other polymeric and ceramic particles and provides the possibility to manufacture a wide range of porous composite materials.