MXenes at Water-Oil Interfaces: From Interfacial Properties to Conductive Emulsions

Promovendus/a: Benedetta Attaianese

Promotor(en): Prof. dr. Ruth Cardinaels

Pickering emulsions are mixtures of two immiscible liquids such as oil and water that are stabilized by solid particles at the interface between the two liquids. These particles form a protective layer around the droplets, making the emulsion more stable and allowing precise control over its structure and flow behavior. This makes Pickering emulsions useful in a wide range of applications, including food products, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and advanced materials. Among the many particles that can be used, two-dimensional MXene nanosheets are especially interesting because they are electrically conductive. When MXenes assemble at oil-water interfaces, they can create interconnected networks that give emulsions both mechanical strength and electrical functionality, even at low particle concentrations. This makes MXene-stabilized emulsions promising for applications such as flexible electronics, sensors, and energy-related devices. This thesis investigates how MXene nanosheets organize at liquid-liquid interfaces and how this interfacial structure controls droplet behavior, emulsion stability, and electrical performance. By linking nanoscale interfacial assembly to droplet dynamics and bulk properties, the work provides design guidelines for creating conductive, multiphase materials through interfacial engineering.