This MSCA IF broadly covered various topics of relevance for materials science, physical chemistry and soft matter science. In particular, it focussed on studying some fundamental aspects related to the adsorption and interactions between colloidal particles at fluid, air-water or oil-water, interfaces; which are directly related to a variety of materials and processes. Particle adsorption at a fluid interface is responsible for the stabilization of foams and emulsions, or the encapsulation, structuring and manipulation of liquids, and therefore finds numerous applications in oil recovery, food and cosmetic industry, etc. Particle assembly on planar fluid surfaces allows the production of two-dimensional (2D) materials that find uses in catalysis, optics and surface science, to name a few relevant examples.
Currently, alongside with hard, mechanically rigid colloids, soft micro and nanoparticles (microgels) are gaining much attention because of their responses to multiple stimuli and environmental conditions (temperature, pH, concentration, pressure, solvent quality, etc.). This allows tuning their softness, shape and interparticle interactions at will, ultimately producing responsive materials endowed with additional functionalities, including complex phase behaviours and rheological properties stemming from their extent of interpenetration, deformation and compression. Sensitivity to environmental conditions and stimuli is translated to 2D when microgels are adsorbed at fluid interfaces, where they can be used as powerful foams and emulsions stabilizers, or to produce 2D materials of interest for coatings, optics and colloidal lithography, with superior advantages over the use or hard particles.
Overall, this project addressed three fundamental questions in the research field: 1) how does the particle’s internal structure, as designed at the synthesis level, influence its structural and mechanical properties upon interfacial confinement?; 2) which is the exact 3D conformation of a soft object adsorbed at a fluid interface?; and 3) what is the effect of various system parameters (internal polymer density profile, solution temperature and choice of the organic top phase) on the final conformation of an adsorbed microgel? These are at present driving questions in the field, and have been addressed with fundamental contributions stemming from this research project.
