Effect of Cosurfactant on the Properties of Polymerized High Internal Phase Emulsions (PolyHIPEs)

High internal phase emulsions (HIPEs) are obtained when the internal phase volume fraction exceeds 74%. HIPEs can be used as templates to produce highly porous polymers through the polymerization of monomers in the external phase, which is known as polymerized high internal phase emulsions (polyHIPEs). The properties of polyHIPEs significantly depend on the properties of the primary HIPEs, which are affected by the interfacial properties. Surfactants play an important role in improving the stability of HIPEs owing to the reduction of interfacial tension. A cosurfactant can be used to reduce the droplet size of emulsions. However, cosurfactants can also reduce the stability of polyHIPEs. In the present work, different cosurfactants are employed to prepare the polyHIPEs. Our results reveal that the morphology of polyHIPEs changes by applying different cosurfactants or by varying their concentration. In addition, our study suggests that interfacial elasticity influences the formation of interconnections between pores.