One-pot two-step production of nano-CaCO3 with tunable Janus balance decorated by self-crosslinked admicelle of conjugated linoleate

Abstract

BackgroundIn mass production of Janus nanoparticles, tunable Janus balance, nanoscale decoration, environmental and biological compatibility, and response to environmental stimuli are challenges. MethodsBy manipulating the self-assembly and self-crosslinking of sodium conjugated linoleate (SCL), we established a facile one-pot synthesis with two-step addition of SCL under wax protection on partial surface of the microspheres to synthesize CaCO3 Janus nanoparticles with above features simultaneously. Significant findingsThe self-crosslinked admicelle (SCA) of SCL decorated on the nano-CaCO3 surface to produce SCA-CaCO3 Janus nanoparticles, and their Janus balance is tunable by simply regulating the primary SCL dosage in the preparation of molten wax emulsions. Afterwards, O/W Pickering emulsions are stabilized by 0.25 wt% of the selected SCA-CaCO3 Janus nanoparticle with a proper Janus balance at primary SCL dosage of 60 mg·L−1; the obtained high internal phase emulsion is reversibly switchable by pH or CO2−N2 triggers. This strategy of one-pot two-step production of Janus particles may provide a facile mass production tool to create hierarchical Janus structures for various inorganic nanoparticles with different sizes and chemical compositions, endowing variable Janus surfaces with tunable Janus balance, providing a nanoscale SCA decoration layer of SCL with biocompatibility, environmental friendliness and multi-stimuli responses.