Hydrophilic Silica Nanoparticles Research Articles

Potential application of novel Janus amphiphilic nanoparticles to improve the viscoelasticity of polymer solution for enhanced oil recovery

Nanomaterials were widely employed to improve the physicochemical properties of various chemicals in enhanced oil recovery (EOR). In the present study, the novel Janus amphiphilic silica nanoparticle (JNS) was successfully prepared, whose structure and property were confirmed via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Zeta potential measurement, transmission electron microscopy, interfacial tension and contact angle measurements. Then the effects of JNS, hydrophilic silica nanoparticles (HLS) and hydrophobic silica nanoparticles (HBS) on the viscosity of the hydrophobic modified HPAM (HOA101) solution were studied. It was found that JNS exhibited a greater ability to enhance the viscosity, temperature resistance and salt resistance of HOA101 solution in comparison to the other two polymer nanofluids. The interaction mechanisms between nanoparticles and HOA101 were proposed, which were verified by the viscoelasticity measurements and control experiments. Core flooding experiments and micromodel flooding tests demonstrated that the JNS/HOA101 dispersion could effectively expand the sweep efficiency to highly increase the oil recovery from 8.4% to 14.3%.

Vibration-triggered spreading of nanofluid drops

This study explores the effects of nanoparticles on the dynamics of drop spreading under external vibration, presenting an advance in the understanding of nanofluid behavior on vibrating substrates. This work introduces insights into nanoparticle-mediated drop spreading, offering implications for improving particulate coatings, mini-mixers, and particle segregation technologies. By employing a twofold approach that combines oscillating drop dynamics with internal flow pattern analysis, we find how even small concentrations of hydrophilic or hydrophobized silica nanoparticles inside water sessile droplets significantly alter the spreading process on silanized glass surfaces. Our study allows distinct drop spreading regimes to be identified based on nanoparticle concentration and vibration amplitude, for both hydrophilic and hydrophobized nanoparticles. Through a comprehensive analysis, we demonstrate that the vibration-triggered spreading of nanofluids can lead to a stable and controlled manipulation of complex liquids.

PH-Controllable Redox Responsive Amphiphilic Viologens for Switchable Emulsions.

A pH and redox dual responsive amphiphilic viologen is synthesized, which can be reversibly transformed among the zwitterionic (SVa), monovalent anionic (SV+), and divalent anionic (SVH2+) forms upon pH variation, exhibiting pH-controllable redox responsive properties. Switchable Pickering emulsions with different droplet size and viscosity are prepared by the mixture of hydrophilic silica nanoparticles and the viologens (SV+ or SVH2+) at acidic conditions, while such combination yielded an oil-in-dispersion emulsion at neutral pH value. Not only can rapid reversible demulsification/stabilization of the Pickering emulsions be achieved by redox reactions, but the rate of redox-demulsification can also be controlled by pH trigger. The dual-responsive amphiphilic viologens have potential applications in developing intelligent colloid materials and molecular logic systems.

Enhancing natural gas dehumidification with Pebax/Silica mixed matrix membrane: a comprehensive study

ABSTRACT In this study, a new polymer membrane was developed for natural gas dehumidification using the combination of hydrophilic silica nanoparticles in the Pebax polymer matrix. The membranes were characterized using various analytical methods including FTIR, XRD, SEM, and TGA. The results indicated that adding nanoparticles increased the porosity and thermal stability of the membranes. Also, the enhancement of copolymer hydrophilicity was confirmed by reducing contact angles. The study found that increasing the nanoparticle content from 0 w% to 3 w% at 15 bar pressure resulted in a 33% increase in water permeability and a 12% increase in methane permeability. Adding of silica also increased the H2O/CH4 selectivity from 24.17 to 27.34. Moreover, at higher temperatures (from 25 to 55°C), the permeability of H2O and CH4 reached 171.3 and 10.71 bar, respectively. The findings of this study show that the inclusion of hydrophilic silica nanoparticles in the Pebax matrix can enhance the efficiency of membranes for natural gas dehumidification. Additionally, the study highlights the significance of temperature in the design and implementation of such membranes.

Tailoring morphology for improved dispersibility of hydrophilic silica nanoparticles to fabricate thin-film nanocomposite membranes

Improving the dispersibility of nanomaterials is a promising approach to enhance the performance of thin-film nanocomposite (TFN) membranes. In this study, hydrophilic nonporous, mesoporous, and dendritic mesoporous silica nanoparticles (NSNs, MSNs, and DMSNs) with a uniform particle size were utilized as aqueous phase additives to prepare TFN membranes through in-situ polymerization. The electrostatic adsorption of nanoparticles increased the concentration of amine monomers on the surface of the polysulfone (PSF) substrate. In collaboration with the steric hindrance effect, nanoparticles restricted the diffusion of piperazine (PIP) into the organic phase to polymerize with the acyl chloride monomers. Compared to TFC-0, the TFN membranes exhibited a rougher surface with increased negative charge and had more channels that facilitated the transportation of water molecules. Among the nanoparticles, DMSNs exhibited excellent dispersibility, ensuring their uniform distribution within the polyamide (PA) matrix. Furthermore, DMSNs possessed an open central-radial pore structure, offering more efficient channels for water molecules to cross the membrane. Therefore, a highly crosslinked, defect-free, and hydrophilic PA layer of TFN-DMSNs was achieved. In the performance characterization, TFN-DMSNs demonstrated a high water/salt permselectivity (A/B) of up to 32.25 bar−1, and exhibited good resistance to acidic/alkaline environments as well as foulants during the operation. This study proposes a novel approach to prepare advanced TFN membranes by optimizing the morphological structure of nanoparticles.

Phase behavior-microstructure-crystallization kinetics correlations in semi-crystalline/amorphous PCL/SAN mixtures filled with nanosilica

In this study, the effects of poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) molecular weight and the type and presence of nanosilica on the non-isothermal crystallization behavior of PCL in the PCL/poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile) (SAN)/nanosilica systems have been quantitatively investigated. The PCL/SAN system have been chosen as an ideal model system because of the special phase behavior of the blends, which include a lower-critical solution temperature (LCST) phase diagram over a virtual upper-critical solution temperature. By this choose, the great importance of phase separation, mutual phase dissolution and preferential nanoparticle migration to one of the polymeric phases on the crystallization behavior during a commercial production process has been highlighted. The addition of both hydrophilic (Si) and hydrophobic (SiR) silica nanoparticles to virgin PCLs with different molecular weights retards the crystallization process. However, the presence of these nanoparticles in PCL/SAN blends impacts the PCL crystallization kinetics in opposite ways, depending on the nanosilica type, PCL molecular weight and melt cooling rate. The reasons for the observed opposite trends are the changes in the LCST-type phase diagram position by altering the PCL molecular weight and nanosilica type, the selective migration of nanoparticles as well as the dispersion state of nanofillers. The presence of both Si and SiR nanosilicas increases the crystallization activation energy, respectively, by 4.2% and 2.4% for the PCL/SAN blend conatining the PCL with lower molecular weight. While the addition of both Si (11%) and SiR (6.7%) reduces this energy for the blend conatining the PCL with higher molecular weight.

Designing effective underwater self-cleaning surfaces by investigating the oil dewetting ability of hydrophobic and underwater superoleophobic Poly(Diisobutyl Glycolide)-Silica composite surfaces

This study introduces composite thin films of amphiphilic structures to fabricate underwater superoleophobic surfaces. The hydrophobic part of the structure is created by poly(diisobutyl glycolide) thanks to a side chain of isobutyl groups, while the hydrophilic component is formed with hydrophilic silica nanoparticles. Poly(diisobutyl glycolide), having a 77° water contact angle, was obtained through ring-opening polymerization of l-diisobutyl glycolide in a bulk medium, resulting in excellent conversion (97.9 %) and narrow polydispersity (1.47), while maintaining the chiral center. The investigation revealed a notable increment in the underwater hexadecane contact angle from 110° to 160° In contrast, the water contact angle exhibited partial constancy in the air environment because of the augmenting silica content. At a silica content reached up to 30 %, the self-cleaning underwater oil-repellent surface was accomplished, attributable to the phenomenon of the underwater Cassie state, which effectively trapped air within the hierarchical rough structure. Moreover, the surface free energy (SFE) of the composite films was evaluated using both the van Oss-Chaudary-Good and Owens-Wendt methods. Notably, the contact angle of underwater hexadecane decreased with the increase of polar interactions as determined by both methods, owing to the influence of the underwater Cassie state of the hierarchical composite surface.

Insecticidal efficiency and safety of zinc oxide and hydrophilic silica nanoparticles against some stored seed insects

Insecticidal efficiency and safety of zinc oxide and hydrophilic silica nanoparticles against some stored seed insects

Puncture Resistance and UV aging of Nanoparticle-Loaded Waterborne Polyurethane-Coated Polyester Textiles.

The goal of this research was to investigate the effect of different types of nanoparticles on the UV weathering resistance of polyurethane (PU) treatment in polyester-based fabrics. In this regard, zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO), hydrophilic silica nanoparticles (SiO2 (200)), hydrophobic silica nanoparticles (SiO2 (R812)), and carbon nanotubes (CNT) were mixed into a waterborne polyurethane dispersion and impregnated into textile samples. The puncturing resistance of the developed specimens was examined before and after UV-accelerated aging. The changes in chemical structure and surface appearance in nanoparticle-containing systems and after UV treatments were documented using microscopic pictures and infrared spectroscopy (in attenuated total reflectance mode). Polyurethane impregnation significantly enhanced the puncturing strength of the neat fabric and reduced the textile's ability to be deformed. However, after UV aging, mechanical performance was reduced both in the neat and PU-impregnated specimens. After UV treatment, the average puncture strength of all nanoparticle-containing systems was always greater than that of aged fabrics impregnated with PU alone. In all cases, infrared spectroscopy revealed some slight differences in the absorbance intensity of characteristic peaks for polyurethane polymer in specimens before and after UV rays, which could be related to probable degradation effects.

Fabrication and characterization of hydrophobic/hydrophilic dual-layer polyphenyl sulfone Janus membrane for application in direct contact membrane distillation

In this study, single-layer (SL) and dual-layer (DL) polyphenyl sulfone (PPSU) flat sheet nanocomposite Janus membranes were fabricated via a combination of VIPS and NIPS techniques for direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) for the first time. Hydrophobic silica nanoparticles (SiNP-B) were incorporated into the SL membranes and the top layer of the DL membranes, while hydrophilic silica nanoparticles (SiNP-L) were added into the down layer of the DL membranes. The effect of the SiNP-B concentration (1–5 wt%) and the top layer thickness (50 and 100 μm) on the morphology, mean pore size (MPS), thickness, porosity, surface roughness, water contact angle (WCA), liquid entry pressure, mechanical strength, and thermal conductivity were investigated. All of the membranes showed a finger-like structure surrounded by a sponge-like structure. The membranes were examined in the DCMD of a 35,000 ppm saline solution at different feed temperatures (50–70 °C) and flow rates (250–1000 mL/min). The DL membranes possessed higher fluxes than the SL membranes through increasing MPS and WCA. The DL membrane with a SiNP-B concentration of 2 wt% and a hydrophobic thickness of 50 μm (DL- 2,50) achieved the highest flux (42.68 ± 0.35 kg/m2h) and salt rejection (94.90 %) during 5 h. This membrane has an MPS of 0.22 ± 0.03 μm, a thickness of 201 ± 4 μm, and a porosity of 76 ± 2 %. It could be concluded the proper pore size distribution is the most important factor in achieving a successful DCMD operation.

Synergistic effects between anionic surfactant SDS and hydrophilic silica nanoparticles in improving foam performance for foam flooding

In foam flooding, foams stabilized by conventional anionic surfactants are usually raptured in contacting with crude oil, which behaves as a strong defoamer. In this article the synergistic effects between anionic surfactant SDS and negatively charged hydrophilic silica nanoparticles in stabilization of aqueous foams were examined. The results show that in either deionized (DI) water at 25 °C or Daqing simulated connate (SC) water with a total salinity of 6,778 mg/L at 45 °C, in absence of oil adding low concentration of silica nanoparticles into the SDS aqueous solutions can improve the foam performance of SDS mainly by increasing foam stability, as indicated by a synergistic effect index Se(d/s) (ratio of the composite foaming index of dispersion to that of solution) of 2.7 to 2.8. In presence of oil the foam performance of SDS in SC water at 45 °C can still be improved as indicated by an increased Se(d/s) of 3.7, but the maximum composite forming index is catastrophically reduced from 3222 Ls in absence of oil to 470 Ls in presence of oil. As similarly charged nanoparticles the silica nanoparticles do not adsorb at gas/liquid or oil/water interface to stabilize Pickering foams or Pickering emulsions but can improve emulsification of the oil, and the emulsified oil droplets together with the silica nanoparticles distribute in aqueous lamellae enhancing liquid viscosity and slowing down the liquid drainage in the foams. However, this effect weakens at high surfactant concentration, and addition of silica nanoparticles does not significantly reduce the interfacial tensions involved. The Enter (E), Spreading (S) and Bridging (B) coefficients of the oil in the foam systems are therefore still positive. The defoaming action of the oil in this system is not eliminated by only partially inhibited by addition of silica nanoparticles.

Improving anti-fouling properties of alumina tubular microfiltration membranes through the use of hydrophilic silica nanoparticles for oil/water separation

ABSTRACT In this study, hydrophilic silica nanoparticles (Si NPs) were used to modify α-alumina tubular membranes to improve their performance in terms of flux, oil rejection, and anti-fouling properties. Our work focuses on enhancing membrane performance, particularly for difficult applications such as produced water treatment. The prepared membranes were applied for oil-in-water emulsion treatment. After coating hydrophilic Si NPs, the oil contact angle improved from 133.8° to 171.4°. To prevent Si NPs from leaching off the surface of α-alumina tubular membranes, polyvinyl alcohol was used to coat the membranes as a pre-treatment step before Si NP modification. After coating the membrane with Si NPs, the roughness of the membrane surface decreased, likely leading to less fouling. After coating Si NPs, Total Organic Carbon rejection increased from 93.1% for pristine α-alumina tubular membranes to 97.7% for silica-modified membranes because of hydrophilic improvements of the modified membranes. The Si NP coating improved the anti-fouling property of membranes with the flux recovery ratio increasing from 71.3% for pristine α-alumina tubular membranes to 85.9% for silica-modified membranes. Scanning Electron Microscopy, Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, oil contact angle, and Atomic Force Microscopy characterization tests were done. The tests showed successful Si NPs impregnation and altered wettability.

Competition between hydrogen bonding and electrostatic repulsion in pH-switchable emulsions

Electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonding play important roles in the stabilization of self-assembled systems. However, the competition between hydrogen bonding and electrostatic repulsion in emulsions hasn’t been reported. Herein, we report on electrostatic repulsion overcoming hydrogen bonding in oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions prepared by the mixture of escin and hydrophilic silica nanoparticles triggered by pH, in which the location of the nanoparticles is reversibly transformed from being adsorbed at the oil–water interface to being dispersed in the continuous phase. Escin adsorbs on silica particles in alkaline solution by its hydroxyl groups to endow the particles with surface activity, yielding a stable Pickering emulsion. However, such adsorption via hydrogen bonding is reversed by electrostatic repulsion between carboxylate ions and negatively charged silica particles after escin was converted to sodium aescinate. Demulsification occurred after silica particles reverted to being hydrophilic, which could further co-stabilize the oil-in-dispersion (OID) emulsions with sodium aescinate through electrostatic repulsion after re-homogenization. Pickering or OID emulsions with high internal phase volume fraction could also be obtained. This strategy is universal for O/W emulsions stabilized by nanoparticles and similarly charged surfactants with a polar headgroup near the nonionic functional group, e.g. silica plus polyoxyethylene lauryl ether carboxylate. This work aids in understanding the role of electrostatic repulsion and hydrogen bonding in stabilizing emulsions and sheds light on the design of smart surfactants for practical applications.

Surfactants in water and wastewater (greywater): Environmental toxicity and treatment options

Surfactant, an emerging pollutant present in greywater, raises the toxicity levels in the water body. Soap, detergent, and personal care items add surfactant to greywater. Due to excessive washing and cleaning procedures brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, the release of surfactants in greywater has also increased. Considering the environmental toxicity and problems it creates during the treatment, it's essential to remove surfactants from the wastewater. This review intends to explain and address the environmental toxicity of the surfactant released via greywater and current techniques for surfactant removal from wastewater. Various physical, chemical, and biological methods are reported. Modern adsorbents such as hydrophilic silica nanoparticles, chitosan, fly ash, and iron oxide remove surfactants by adsorption. Membrane filtration effectively removes surfactants but is not cost-effective. Coagulants (chemical and natural coagulants) neutralize surfactant charges and help remove them as bigger particles. Electrocoagulation/electroflotation causes surfactants to coagulate and float. Microorganisms break down surfactants in microbial fuel cells to generate power. Surfactants are removed by natural processes and plants in constructed wetlands where traditional aerobic and anaerobic approaches use microbes to break down surfactants. Constructed wetlands, natural coagulation-flocculation, and microbial fuel cells are environmentally beneficial methods to remove surfactants from wastewater.

Adsorption of Mixed Dispersions of Silica Nanoparticles and an Amphiphilic Triblock Copolymer at the Water–Vapor Interface

This study investigates the surface modification of hydrophilic silica nanoparticles by non-chemical adsorption of an amphiphilic triblock copolymer, Pluronic F-127, and elucidates its influence on the interfacial dispersion properties. The interaction between Pluronic F-127 and silica nanoparticles drives the formation of copolymer-decorated particles with increased hydrodynamic diameter and reduced effective charge as the copolymer concentration increases, while the opposite effect occurs as the particle concentration increases at a fixed polymer concentration. This indicates that increasing the copolymer concentration leads to an increase in the coating density, whereas increasing the particle concentration leads to a decrease. This is of paramount importance for modulating the reorganization of the Pluronic F-127 shell upon adsorption at fluid–fluid interfaces and, thus, the adsorption of the decorated nanoparticles at the interface and the rheological properties of the obtained layers. In fact, the relationship between copolymer concentration and interfacial tension, as well as the mechanical response of the interface, mirrors the patterns observed in Pluronic F-127 solutions, and only a shift mediated by the Pluronic F-127 concentration is found. This suggests that the presence of particles limits the space available for Pluronic F-127 molecules to reorganize at the interface but does not significantly affect the interfacial behavior of the particle-laden interface.

Preparation and characterization of electrospun PVDF/PVP/SiO2 nanofiber membrane for oil-water separation

For oily wastewater purification, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) nanofiber membranes have been widely noticed for their excellent mechanical strength and corrosion resistance. However, it is prone to serious oil fouling problems during use, resulting in reduced flux and inability to be used repeatedly. It has become a hot research topic to develop simple methods to realize its hydrophilic modification for oily wastewater treatment to address this problem. Herein, a novel separation membrane was prepared by doping polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and hydrophilic silica nanoparticles (SiO2 NPs) into PVDF using a facile one-step electrospinning method. The modified membrane shows hydrophilicity, water contact angle (WCA) is 0°, oleophobicity in water, and oil contact angle (OCA) is more than 145° and has good separation efficiency and flux for both oil-water mixtures and emulsions. After 30 times of mixture and emulsion separation tests, the separation efficiency is above 99.5 % and 97 %, respectively, showing good separation and reusability. Besides, compared with hydrophilic modification methods such as surface coating and grafting, the proposed modification method is simpler and has great potential in treating oily wastewater.

Development of a novel hydrophilic SiO2/PVDF Janus membrane via different modification methods for robust antiwetting and antifouling membrane distillation

The development of novel membrane distillation (MD) membranes with high resistance to wetting and fouling has a great importance for the treatment of surfactant or oil-containing wastewater. In this study, superwettable Janus membranes were produced using hydrophilic silica nanoparticles (SiO2 NPs) via blending phase inversion (M1), delayed phase inversion (M2), and spray coating (M3) methods. Scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM/EDS) and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR) analysis showed that SiO2 NPs were successfully deposited on the top layers of the membranes, while no SiO2 NPs were detected on the bottom layers. Furthermore, underwater superoleophobic properties were achieved for M2 and M3 membranes, while M1 membrane showed a satisfactory underwater oleophobicity. In MD filtration tests, the M2 membrane exhibited the highest membrane wetting and fouling resistance, followed by the M1 membrane. However, the sprayed SiO2 NPs coating layer on the M3 membrane did not remain stable, resulting in a similar permeate water flux and rejection profiles to the pristine membrane after a short time. This study indicates that Janus membranes fabricated by blending and delayed phase inversion methods could be a strong candidate in MD for the treatment of complex wastewater containing surfactants and oil.

Rheological Properties of Gel Foam Co-Stabilized with Nanoparticles, Xanthan Gum, and Multiple Surfactants.

Gel foam has the advantages of gel and foam and shows good prospects for applications in the fields of fire prevention and extinguishing. Rheology has a significant impact on the application of gel foam, but there is little related research. In the present study, hydrophilic silica nanoparticles (NPs) and water-soluble polymer xanthan gum (XG) were combined with fluorocarbon surfactant (FS-50) and hydrocarbon surfactant (APG0810) to create gel foam. The foaming ability and foam drainage were evaluated. The gel foam's rheology, including its flow behavior and viscoelasticity, was systematically investigated. The results show that the foaming of the FS-50/APG0810 mixture decreases but the foam drainage increases in the presence of NPs and/or XG. All of the foams belong to the category of non-Newtonian fluids with shear thinning behavior. The flow curves of the foams are consistent with the Cross model. The presence of XG/NPs enhanced the foam viscoelasticity of the FS-50/APG0810 mixture. The silica NPs showed a better ability to enhance foam viscoelasticity but a worse ability to stabilize the foam compared to XG. This research can offer theoretical support for the industrial usage of gel foam.

Facile fabrication of extreme-wettability contrast surfaces for efficient water harvesting using hydrophilic and hydrophobic silica nanoparticles

Freshwater shortages threaten ecosystems and human communities around the world. Inspired by the ability of cacti and desert beetles to collect water from the atmosphere, we successfully fabricated a wettability contrast surface with efficient water harvesting using a simple and low-cost process. A solution of isopropyl alcohol and a mixture of hydrophobic and hydrophilic silica nanoparticles was sprayed on a laminating film of ethylene vinyl acetate and polyethylene terephthalate, after which sandpaper was laid on the dry-coated film for hot-press lamination. After peeling the film from the sandpaper, the fabricated surface exhibited random wettability contrast patterns with nano-microstructures formed by nanoparticles and the sandpaper surface. The highest water-harvesting efficiency of the prepared surface was approximately 446.7 mg/cm2/h when the mass ratio of the hydrophobic to hydrophilic silica nanoparticles in the spraying solution was 75/25 due to the optimal performance between the generation of water nucleation, coalescence, and the movement of water droplets. An analysis of the effect of ultraviolet irradiation and adhesive damage on the surface revealed that the efficiency of water collection was nearly unchanged in the face of the ultraviolet irradiation and decreased slightly after the tape test. The proposed fabrication method can make flexible and wettable contrast surfaces at large scales and low costs. In addition, superhydrophobic, or nearly superhydrophilic surfaces can be fabricated with the same process by using solely hydrophobic or hydrophilic silica nanoparticles. Therefore, this process is versatile and can be applied for creating surfaces with a range of wettability properties.

Synergy between hydrophilic silica nanoparticles and poly(vinylpyrrolidone) for long-term foam stabilization with little energy input

The role of solid particles to act as foam and emulsion stabilizers is well known, providing long-term stability to the two-phase system. However, the ability for particles to generate large volumes of foam with little energy input (low agitation speeds and short agitation times) is difficult to achieve. Poor foamability is due to the slow particle adsorption dynamics and the high adsorption barrier at the air–water interface. In contrast, common surfactants and some surface active polymers which adsorb more readily at the air–water interface exhibit good foamability but often poor foam stability due to the mutual action of multiple destabilization mechanisms. In the current study, we reported a simple bi-component system of hydrophilic silica nanoparticles and poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) polymer to produce foams with both high foamability and foam stability via simply hand shaking for 1 min. Foams are stabilized by PVP coated silica composite nanoparticles (CPs) with a well-defined core–shell structure. The strong adsorption of PVP onto silica was demonstrated using Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation monitoring (QCM-D), confirming the formation of an irreversibly and robust adsorbed polymer layer. To better understand the mechanisms for enhanced foamability and foam stability, the interfacial dynamics and the 2-dimensional mechanical properties of the particle-polymer network partitioned at the air–water interface were assessed. The presence of the PVP polymer corona substantially enhanced the adsorption and retention of hydrophilic silica particles at the air/water interface, while the rigid interfacial network formed by the silica nanoparticles guaranteed long-term foam stability (excess of one week), with coarsening fund to be the dominating destabilization mechanism for foam. The enhanced performance is in stark contrast to the individual components, which could only provide good foamability other than foam stability.