Pickering emulsions stabilized by modified Thanaka powder: emulsifying capability and stability

Thanaka powder is a natural and safe biomass material that can be used in the preparation of Pickering emulsions. It contains lots of hydrophilic phenolic hydroxyl groups, making it highly hydrophilic and leading to emulsion instability, which further limits its application in the cosmetics industry. In this paper, Thanaka powder was modified to improve its stability. The modified Thanaka powder was characterized and was used to prepare Pickering emulsions. The results showed that the stability of the Pickering emulsion increased with the increase of the solid particle concentration; the suitable oil-water ratio helped to obtain the Pickering emulsion with good stability; the different aqueous phase environments had little effect on the particle size variation of the emulsified particles; the emulsions exhibited shear thinning behavior. This study offers valuable insights into the research, development, and commercialization of Thanaka-based skincare products, thereby expanding the applications of Thanaka powder.