Encapsulation of Oil Phases with Different Compositions into a Shell Composed of Nanoparticles of Natural Hydrothermal Silica and Polyelectrolyte Layers

Particles of natural hydrothermal nanosilica have been characterized, and the conditions of their self-organization have been chosen for the stabilization of oil-in-water emulsions with the use of a cationic surfactant. Microcapsules, which consist of shells composed of layer-by-layer deposited chitosan and calcium alginate and contain dodecane, soybean and sesame oils, a 30% α-tocopherol acetate solution in sunflower oil, and shea butter, have been prepared on the basis of Pickering emulsions. Conclusions on the mechanical stability of the Pickering emulsions and capsules based thereon have been inferred from changes occurring in the colloidal system as a result of centrifugation at 27 000g. The capsules with the vegetable oils have exhibited a higher stability than those containing dodecane. The three-layer polymer shell has been shown to prevent the nanocapsules from coalescence and breakage upon centrifugation.