Phase inversion of TiO2 nanoparticle stabilized emulsions of alkenyl succinic anhydride

Alkenyl succinic anhydride (ASA) is a viscous polar oil, typically used as a paper sizing agent after being emulsified. ASA and water emulsions stabilized by TiO2 nanoparticles were prepared by adding the aqueous phase to the oil phase. Catastrophic phase inversion from w/o to o/w or w/o/w has been investigated by monitoring the variation of emulsion conductivity with water mass fraction at different homogenization speeds, initial particle locations and particle concentrations. When initially dispersed in water, TiO2 nanoparticles carry positive charge and interact with hydrolyzed ASA at the water–ASA interface. The particles are thus hydrophobically modified, resulting in phase inversion from w/o to w/o/w at higher water mass fraction, while for particles originating in ASA, the phase inverts from w/o to o/w at a lower water mass fraction. Higher homogenization speed and lower particle concentration induce phase inversion at lower water mass fractions. In addition, variations in the phase inversion point caused by the homogenization speed and particle concentration are magnified when the particles originate in water. Similar to non-ionic surfactant-stabilized emulsions prepared by a catastrophic emulsification process, the particle-stabilized emulsions containing ASA exhibit a diminished drop size when approaching the water mass fraction at which phase inversion occurs. Emulsions with the particles initially dispersed in ASA have a slightly smaller drop size than those with particles initially dispersed in water. In addition, the drop size near the phase inversion point did not obviously change with particle concentration.

► TiO2 nanoparticles provide high stability for emulsions of viscous polar oil and water.
► The emulsions catastrophically invert from w/o to o/w with increasing water mass fraction.
► Particles initially dispersed in water are more “hydrophobic” than those dispersed in oil.
► The emulsion droplet size decreases as the emulsion approaches phase inversion point.