Spontaneous emulsification by ionic surfactants and responsive nanoparticles, and theoretical models of inhomogeneous, correlated Coulomb fluids

We identify a new mechanism for the spontaneous formation of an oil-in-water emulsion [1]. Our classical density functional, which describes electrostatics, ionic surface reactions, and nanoparticle adsorption, predicts kinetically and even thermodynamically stable emulsion droplets with a tunable mesoscopic size. Our results closely match recent experiments [2][3], and may open new pathways for the reversible dispersion of particle-coated droplets that are desired in the fields of catalysis, controlled drug delivery and particle synthesis.

The last part of the presentation will highlight the structural and thermodynamic properties of electrolytes of the primitive model, at low temperatures, and near (dielectric) boundaries, as predicted by both classical and recently developed theories [4].

[1] JZ, K. Ioannidou, D. Kraft, and R. van Roij, Soft Matter 7, 11093 (2011). [2] S. Sacanna et al., Phys. Rev. Lett., (2007), 98, 158301. [3] D. Kraft et al., J. Phys. Chem. B, (2010), 114, 10347. [4] JZ, P. K. Jha, and M. Olvera de la Cruz, J. Chem. Phys. 135, 064106 (2011).