Scientific Achievement
Produced the first sub-micron, shape-persistent, all-liquid bicontinuous structures using interfacial formation, assembly and jamming of nanoparticles surfactants (NPSs)
Significance and Impact
Such tortuous, kinetically-trapped, interconnected structures, termed “bijels”, can be realized with any two immiscible liquids by a simple homogenization, rather than thermally-induced spinodal decomposition.
Research Details
- NPSs were produced at immiscible liquid interfaces using functional NPs in one liquid and complementary end-functionalized polymers in the second
- Very versatile strategy using wide range of NPs and polymers that is scalable
- NPSs assemblies are completely fluid, adaptable and responsive to external stimuli
