Nanoemulsions are kinetically stable oil-in-water droplets that have applications in oil spill remediation, drug delivery, and found in many commercial products like soaps and cosmetics. Industrially, control of nanoemulsion stability is highly desired. To gain control over stability, functionalized surfactants and polymers are being employed. I am currently studying carboxylic acid functionalized nanoemulsions. I am investigating the molecular structure giving rise to the stability of these unique nanoemulsions under differing environmental conditions such as pH, ionic strength, ion identity, and temperature. I mainly use vibrational sum frequency scattering spectroscopy, a surface specific technique, to tease out molecular level information of this oil-water interface.
Outside of lab you’ll find me running on pre’s trail, swimming, or enjoying the pacific northwest’s beautiful outdoors.