Light‐Responsive, Reversible Emulsification and Demulsification of Oil‐in‐Water Pickering Emulsions for Catalysis

Li, Zhiyong; Shi, Yunlei; Zhu, Anlian; Zhao, Yuling; Wang, Huiyong; Binks, Bernard P.; Wang, Jianji

doi:10.1002/anie.202010750

Light‐Responsive, Reversible Emulsification and Demulsification of Oil‐in‐Water Pickering Emulsions for Catalysis

Li, Zhiyong; Shi, Yunlei; Zhu, Anlian; Zhao, Yuling; Wang, Huiyong; Binks, Bernard P.; Wang, Jianji

Authors

Zhiyong Li

Yunlei Shi

Anlian Zhu

Yuling Zhao

Huiyong Wang

Professor Bernie Binks B.P.Binks@hull.ac.uk
Emeritus Professor of Physical Chemistry

Jianji Wang

Abstract

Pickering emulsions are an excellent platform for interfacial catalysis. However, developing simple and efficient strategies to achieve product separation and catalyst and emulsifier recovery is still a challenge. Herein, we report the reversible transition between emulsification and demulsification of a light‐responsive Pickering emulsion, triggered by alternating between UV and visible light irradiation. The Pickering emulsion is fabricated from Pd‐supported silica nanoparticles, azobenzene ionic liquid surfactant, n‐octane, and water. This phase behavior is attributed to the adsorption of azobenzene ionic liquid surfactant on the surface of the nanoparticles and the light‐responsive activity of ionic liquid surfactant. The Pickering emulsion can be used as a microreactor that enables catalytic reaction, product separation as well as emulsifier and catalyst recycling. Catalytic hydrogenation of unsaturated hydrocarbons at room temperature and atmospheric pressure has been performed in this system to demonstrate product separation and emulsifier and catalyst re‐use.

Citation

Li, Z., Shi, Y., Zhu, A., Zhao, Y., Wang, H., Binks, B. P., & Wang, J. (in press). Light‐Responsive, Reversible Emulsification and Demulsification of Oil‐in‐Water Pickering Emulsions for Catalysis. Angewandte Chemie, https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202010750

Journal Article Type	Article
Acceptance Date	Oct 9, 2020
Online Publication Date	Dec 17, 2020
Deposit Date	Feb 10, 2021
Publicly Available Date	Dec 18, 2021
Journal	Angewandte Chemie
Print ISSN	1433-7851
Publisher	Wiley
Peer Reviewed	Peer Reviewed
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202010750
Keywords	Ionic liquids; Microreactors; Phase separation; Light responsiveness; Pickering emulsion
Public URL	https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/3717433