Evolution and critical roles of particle properties in Pickering emulsion: A review

Pickering emulsion is a type of emulsion that uses solid particles or colloidal particles as emulsifiers instead of surfactants to anchor at the oil-water interface. Its unique properties, such as high stability, low toxicity, environmental friendliness, and low cost, make it ideal for pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetic applications. Unlike conventional emulsions in which amphiphilic surfactants are reversibly adsorbed at the interface, Pickering emulsions rely on the irreversible anchoring of particles at the liquid interface to produce electrostatic repulsion and spatial positional resistance for high stability. Particle properties play an important role in the stability, performance, and characterization of Pickering emulsions. This study provides an overview of several aspects of particles in Pickering emulsions. The critical evolution of the Pickering emulsion particles was analyzed in the last two decades by Citespace to identify the critical positions of particles in the emulsion. We then discuss how the properties of particles influence the stability of Pickering emulsions. The stabilization mechanism of Pickering emulsions and the difficulties of interfacial particle detection techniques are also discussed. This study provides a comprehensive overview and guide to particle-based Pickering emulsion performance optimization and interfacial detection technologies.