Single particle light scattering method for studying aging properties of Pickering emulsions stabilized by catanionic crystals

Single particle light scattering (SPLS) has been extended towards sizes near 100 nm to measure particle size distributions with high precision and model free and thus to establish a diagnostic about the stage of aging emulsion properties. SPLS measurements on emulsions stabilized with catanionic crystals allowed to follow the evolution of droplet size distribution as a function of surface charge upon aging in the absence of Oswald ripening. Small angle neutron scattering (SANS) experiments allowed identification of the crystalline nature of the solids stabilizing these Pickering emulsions. The remarkably stable Pickering emulsions stabilized via catanionic microcrystals were in addition characterized by confocal microscopy and by ζ-potential measurements.