Formation of oil‐in‐water (O/W) pickering emulsions via complexation between β‐cyclodextrin and selected organic solvents

Cyclodextrins (CDs) are cyclic oligosaccharides derived from the enzymatic degradation of starch. Emulsifying functionality of β‐cyclodextrin (β‐CD) upon its complexation with selected solvents (octanol, decane, and toluene) was studied. In several tests, the three‐phase systems containing the emulsion fraction in the middle position were obtained. The examination of variations in the phase behavior of the test systems showed that the decane/β‐CD/water system had the highest emulsion phase volume when β‐CD at concentration of 10% w/v was used. A reduction in interfacial tension (IFT) of the oil–water interface in each test system was observed with the following order: toluene, decane, and octanol. The precipitated fraction obtained upon centrifugation of the emulsion phase, was structurally characterized as the inclusion complex (IC) formed between β‐CD and each of the three test solvents. The wettability of the IC particles was determined through contact angle measurement and formation of the oil‐in‐water (O/W) Pickering emulsions was confirmed (θow<90°). With use of size distribution data, the ICs particles as the microparticles (1–10 µm) were found to be the main species involved in the formation and stabilization of the emulsions.