Fig. 6: Emulsion stability in relation to the microgel internal architecture and characteristic interfacial morphology.

Dodecane in water emulsions stabilized by core-shell microgels (a–e), whose inner microgel core (illustrated in purple) is either partially degraded by cleaving approximately 20% of the crosslinks (f–j) or fully degraded (k-o) to obtain hollow microgels. a–c, f–h, k–m Cryo-SEM images and corresponding schematic illustrations of the characteristic interfacial morphologies of core-shell microgels (a–e), partially degraded core-shell microgels (f–j) and hollow microgels (k–o). c, h, m Overlays illustrate the position of the microgel core (purple) and its shell (green). d, l, n Corresponding emulsion at room temperature and after storage at 55 °C for 4 h. e, j, o Linear viscoelastic response with increasing temperature at strain amplitude γ₀ = 0.01 with storage (G^s′, filled) and loss (G^s″, open) moduli. Scale bars: 500 nm.