Demixing, remixing and cellular networks in （分层、混合和蜂窝网络）.PDF

View Online / Journal Homepage / Table of Contents for this issue PAPER /softmatter | Soft Matter Demixing, remixing and cellular networks in binary liquids containing colloidal particles†‡ Job H. J. Thijssenab and Paul S. Clegg*ab Received 2nd September 2009, Accepted 3rd December 2009 First published as an Advance Article on the web 20th January 2010 DOI: 10.1039/b918002h We present a confocal-microscopy study of demixing and remixing in binary liquids containing colloidal particles. First, particle-stabilized emulsions have been fabricated by nucleation and growth of droplets upon cooling from the single-fluid phase. We show that their stability mainly derives from H 2 interfacial particles; the surplus of colloids in the continuous phase possibly provides additional 0 0 stability. Upon heating these emulsions, we have observed the formation of polyhedral cellular 8 1 9 networks of colloids, just before the system remixes. Given a suitable liquid–liquid composition, the 2 B 1 / 9 0 3 initial emulsions cross the binary-liquid symmetry line due to creaming. Therefore, upon heating, the 2 0 r 1 e 0. droplets do not shrink and they remain closely packed. The subsequent network formation relies on b 1 m : e i a delicate balance between the Laplace pressure and the pressure due to creaming/remixing. As high t o p d e | concentrations of colloids in the cell walls inhibit film thinning and rupture, the networks can be S g 7 r 2 o. stabilized for more than 30 min. This opens up an avenue for their application in