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E. Wouter Grünewald

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Journal article (2025) - E. Wouter Grünewald, Robert M. Dalgliesh, Steven R. Parnell, Wim G. Bouwman, Gregory N. Smith
Since macroemulsions are only kinetically stable, characterizing their behavior as they change over time is relevant to their application. Time-of-flight spin-echo small-angle neutron scattering (SESANS) enables time-resolved measurement of the bulk evolution of concentrated, opaque emulsions without perturbing the system. Here, we present time-of-flight SESANS measurements of an n-decane-in-DMSO emulsion stabilized by Pluronic P-123, where changes in the system as it ripened were resolved. The radius of emulsion droplets were shown to grow over time with a rate of 25 μm3 h–1, suggesting that Ostwald ripening is the dominant aging process. Furthermore, SANS measurements revealed the presence of a stable population of swollen surfactant micelles, providing an additional mechanism for mass transfer between particles. Since time-of-flight SESANS can be used to obtain information about particle sizes, ripening rates, and associated processes, it is uniquely suited for studying the behavior of dense colloidal systems over time. ...