Stimuli-Responsive Bubbles and Foams Stabilized with Solid Particles.

Abstract

Particle-stabilized bubbles and foams have been observed and used in a wide range of industrial sectors and have been exploited as a technology platform for the production of advanced functional materials. The stability, structure, shape, and movement of these bubbles and foams can be controlled by external stimuli such as the pH, temperature, magnetic fields, ultrasonication, mechanical stress, surfactants, and organic solvents. Stimuli-responsive modes can be categorized into three classes: (i) bubbles/foams whose stability can be controlled by the adsorption/desorption/dissolution of solid particles to/from/at gas-liquid interfaces, (ii) bubbles/foams that can move, and (iii) bubbles/foams that can change their shapes and structures. The stimuli-responsive characteristics of bubbles and foams offer potential applications in the areas of controlled encapsulation, delivery, and release.