Microcapsule-type stabilizers with adjustable wettability and their application in Pickering emulsion

Abstract: Using microcapsules as the stabilizers of Pickering emulsion can endow the resulted composite capsules with more storage microcavities, producing new functional and structural materials, which have potential application in the preparation of self-healing microcapsules to achieve multiple healing. However, the preparation and wettability of microcapsule-type stabilizers (MTS) have not been systematically researched. Herein, a facile method to prepare MTS containing a liquid healing agent (dicyclopentadiene, DCPD) was proposed, which exhibited excellent emulsifying properties in Pickering emulsion. MTS with adjustable wettability were successfully prepared and used to fabricate Pickering emulsions with different oil phases. It was found that when the mass ratio of the hydrophobic shell monomer reached 100%, MTS possessed the best emulsifying property and the resulted Pickering emulsion could be stably stored for 30 days. Additionally, via solidifying the activity monomers of the oil droplets, composite capsules with multi-storage cells were successfully prepared which confirmed the strong stability of this emulsion and the appropriate wettability of MTS again, as well as pave a new path for the preparation of new architecture microcapsules. We expected that MTS will be found more useful in encapsulation fields, such as self-healing microcapsules, biological medicine, cosmetics, and textile. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]