Abstract

Miniemulsion is a promising technology to prepare capsules taking advantage of its droplet nucleation and absence of molecular net diffusion between droplets. The versatile shell materials of capsules can be obtained via a normal free radical polymerization, controlled/ living radical polymerization, anionic polymerization, polyaddition, polycondensation of organic and inorganic precursors or coordination polymerization in miniemulsion. This review will concentrate on the preparation of capsules in miniemulsion via different formation mechanisms, including phase separation of polymers, interfacial reactions, and Ouzo effect.

Keywords: Capsules, Miniemulsion, Interfacial reaction, Ouzo effect, Polymer phase separation, (Co)Monomer, Poly(divinylbenzene) (PDVB), Inverse Miniemulsion, Pickering-type emulsification, solvent displacement technique