Syracuse Sun

Researchers from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Tufts University, working alongside Joseph Paulsen from Syracuse University, have discovered a novel method to control emulsions, which could have implications in food and other industries. An emulsion is a mixture of two liquids that do not usually mix, like oil and water.

In a study published in Nature Physics, the team revealed that adding magnetized particles to an oil-and-water mixture causes unique separation patterns. Anthony Raykh, a UMass graduate student, stumbled upon this by replacing traditional emulsifying spices with magnetized nickel particles. "We turned the nature of particle-decorated interfaces on its head," explains Joseph Paulsen. This new interaction increases the interfacial tension and causes the mixture to form patterns similar to a Grecian urn when shaken.

The findings present a contrast to conventional methods where emulsifying agents usually decrease tension between liquids for stabilization. The presence of magnetized nanoparticles not only induces merging of droplets but also causes a graceful curve separation.

Although immediate applications for this discovery are not yet clear, it potentially opens new pathways in the field of soft-matter physics. Paulsen comments, “Liquid-liquid mixtures are ubiquitous in consumer products and industrial processes... This discovery... could one day help produce better products with longer shelf lives or save energy in chemical transport and processing.”

Funding for this research came from the U.S. National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy. The experiment highlights a promising new direction in understanding and potentially innovating emulsion technology, with long-term benefits foreseen in product development and energy management.