Associative amphiphilic copolymers enabling emulsion stabilization via host-guest anchoring at the interface: A proof-of-concept
Abstract
This study reports an unprecedented strategy for chloroform-in-water emulsion stabilization through the use of a couple of amphiphilic associative copolymers through host-guest interactions at the interface. More precisely, a set of two complementary amphiphilic copolymers of poly(ethylene oxide) methacrylate (PEGMA) and either methyl methacrylate (MMA) or 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA), and grafted with either guest adamantyl or host β-cyclodextrin groups, were produced through Reversible Addition-Fragmentation chain Transfer (RAFT)-mediated controlled radical polymerization technique allowing to match the solubility and interfacial activity requirements for an improved stabilization of oil/water interface. The molecular structure of both copolymers, called respectively poly(Ada) and poly(βCD), was characterized by 1H NMR, SEC and ATR-FTIR analyses. Solutions of poly(Ada) in chloroform and poly(βCD) in water were then used for preparation of oil-in-water emulsions whose stability was followed by probing the droplet size evolution under microscope. Emulsions prepared with the couple of the associative copolymers demonstrated outstanding stability, whereas emulsions stabilized with only one copolymer partner quickly aged through the Ostwald ripening and coalescence. The obtained result is a steady proof of concept showing great potential of interfacial host-guest interactions between macromolecules for an enhanced emulsion stabilization.
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BibTeX
@article{desbons2026associative,
title = {{Associative amphiphilic copolymers enabling emulsion stabilization via host-guest anchoring at the interface: A proof-of-concept}},
author = {Balthazar Desbons and Aline Caramona and Catherine Amiel and Clémence Le Cœur and Alesya Mikhailovskaya and Benjamin Le Droumaguet},
journal = {Reactive and Functional Polymers},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1016/j.reactfunctpolym.2026.106798},
url = {https://hal.science/hal-05737874v1},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Associative amphiphilic copolymers enabling emulsion stabilization via host-guest anchoring at the interface: A proof-of-concept
AU - Balthazar Desbons
AU - Aline Caramona
AU - Catherine Amiel
AU - Clémence Le Cœur
AU - Alesya Mikhailovskaya
AU - Benjamin Le Droumaguet
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/03
JO - Reactive and Functional Polymers
DO - 10.1016/j.reactfunctpolym.2026.106798
UR - https://hal.science/hal-05737874v1
AB - This study reports an unprecedented strategy for chloroform-in-water emulsion stabilization through the use of a couple of amphiphilic associative copolymers through host-guest interactions at the interface. More precisely, a set of two complementary amphiphilic copolymers of poly(ethylene oxide) methacrylate (PEGMA) and either methyl methacrylate (MMA) or 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA), and grafted with either guest adamantyl or host β-cyclodextrin groups, were produced through Reversible Addition-Fragmentation chain Transfer (RAFT)-mediated controlled radical polymerization technique allowing to match the solubility and interfacial activity requirements for an improved stabilization of oil/water interface. The molecular structure of both copolymers, called respectively poly(Ada) and poly(βCD), was characterized by 1H NMR, SEC and ATR-FTIR analyses. Solutions of poly(Ada) in chloroform and poly(βCD) in water were then used for preparation of oil-in-water emulsions whose stability was followed by probing the droplet size evolution under microscope. Emulsions prepared with the couple of the associative copolymers demonstrated outstanding stability, whereas emulsions stabilized with only one copolymer partner quickly aged through the Ostwald ripening and coalescence. The obtained result is a steady proof of concept showing great potential of interfacial host-guest interactions between macromolecules for an enhanced emulsion stabilization.
SN - 1381-5148
SN - 1873-166X
ER -