Dodecenylsuccinic Anhydride Pickering Emulsion Stabilized by Montmorillonite Nanoparticles Modified with Sodium Fluoride

Processing convenience and paper-sizing flexibility frequently require the delivery of alkenylsuccinic anhydride oil as emulsion. The shelf life of the oil is achieved kinetically, in most cases via the addition of surfactants such as cationic starch or a synthetic polymer, which are the subject of increasing scrutiny with regard to their environmental impact. The modification of montmorillonite nanoparticle with sodium fluoride was found to decrease the interfacial tension between dodecenylsuccinic anhydride (DDSA) and aqueous dispersion and to change the wettability of montmorillonite, which benefits the preparation of DDSA-in-water emulsions with enhanced stability, small droplet size, and improved hydrolysis resistance. Adjusting the pH and particle concentration of aqueous solution effectively improved the stability of DDSA emulsion. Catastrophic phase inversion from w/o (water-in-oil) to o/w (oil-in-water) was investigated by monitoring the variation of emulsion conductivity with increasing oil volume fraction. Evidence of the transition from loose particle-film to compact particle shell upon introduction of salt was found, as predicted theoretically for charged particles adsorbed on interfaces. Particulate interfacial films built by SFMMT nanoparticles protected DDSA droplets from aggregation and formed a honeycomb structure. Salt in the DDSA emulsification process restrained the hydrolytic action of DDSA effectively and sustained the sizing performance of DDSA even 5 h after the emulsion preparation.