Complex of raw chitin nanofibers and zein colloid particles as stabilizer for producing stable pickering emulsions

This paper produced stable Pickering emulsions by using fibrous chitin nanofibers (ChNFs) and spherical zein colloid particles (ZCPs) complex as stabilizer. Transmission electronic microscopy showed that some ZCPs linked onto ChNFs chains but no entanglement. The main driving force between ChNFs and ZCPs might be hydrogen bond and hydrophobic interaction. ChNFs-stabilized Pickering emulsions had smaller particle size and better distribution than ZCPs-stabilized ones. Results from confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) proved that both of them could adsorb on the oil/water interface as Pickering stabilizer. ChNFs aggregations were found on the oil/water interface, providing steric hindrance among oil droplets. When fixing ChNFs content, ChNFs/ZCPs complex-stabilized Pickering emulsions had larger particle size at low ZCPs content and smaller particle size at high ZCPs content. As compared to ZCPs-stabilized emulsions, they exhibited smaller particle size and higher centrifuge stability, especially at the ZCPs: ChNFs ratio more than 5 g g−1. The CLSM proved that ZCPs altering the accumulation of ChNFs on the oil/water interface. Therefore, regulating the interaction between ZCPs and ChNFs is an effective means to regulate the physicochemical properties of emulsions.