Janus-type spherical cellulose nanoparticles
AssigneeAUT Ventures Limited
InventorsJack Li-Yang Chen, Bryan Andres Tiban Anrango
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Abstract
The invention relates to Janus-type spherical cellulose nanoparticles and processes for producing them. The Janus-type spherical cellulose nanoparticles of the invention are chemically modified on one face only, producing particles with a lipophilic face opposite a hydrophilic face. Such particles demonstrate superior surfactant properties and can be used to prepare Pickering emulsions.
Claims20
A process for preparing Janus-type spherical cellulose nanoparticles comprising:
- (a) preparing an alkali suspension of spherical cellulose nanoparticles in water;
- (b) forming an emulsion comprising the spherical cellulose nanoparticles, water and a water-immiscible lipophilic solvent, wherein:
- (i) the water constitutes the continuous phase,
- (ii) the lipophilic solvent constitutes the dispersed phase and comprises a lipophilicity modifier, and
- (iii) the spherical cellulose nanoparticles are localised at the interface of the continuous and dispersed phases;
- (c) reacting the lipophilicity modifier with the portion of the spherical cellulose nanoparticles exposed to the lipophilicity modifier at the interface of the continuous and dispersed phases to produce Janus-type spherical cellulose nanoparticles;
- and
- (d) separating the Janus-type spherical cellulose nanoparticles from the emulsion.
Janus-type spherical cellulose nanoparticles with a volume average particle diameter of about 10 nm to about 1000 nm in which the surface of one face of each nanoparticle sphere is functionalised so as to be more lipophilic than the remaining surface of the sphere.
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Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.