Characterization and stability of Pickering emulsions stabilized with esterified cellulose nanofibrils

Cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) and dodecenyl succinic anhydride (DDSA) were used to prepare modified cellulose nanofibrils (D-CNFs). D-CNFs are partially wettable and can be used as ideal Pickering emulsion stabilizers. Moreover, the stability of D-CNFs in emulsion is better than that of CNFs. When the concentration of D-CNFs increased to 3.0wt%, the fluidity of the emulsion decreased significantly. Typically, the best performance was exhibited when D-CNFs were added at a concentration of 1.2wt%. Emulsions were more stable in alkaline environments when compared to low pH values. The droplet size of the emulsions increased significantly due to the addition of ions. However, in terms of macroscopic stability (CI), the emulsions could remain without delamination for 7 days when the NaCl concentration is not higher than 50mM. The results showed that D-CNFs can be used to prepare Pickering emulsions and have a good development prospect. Graphical Abstract