Vrije Universiteit Brussel

About Colloids

To mix or not to mix that's the question
Colloid chemistry in a nutshell is "To mix what doesn't mix". It concerns mainly the study of mixtures of chemically different materials that unmix spontaneously (e.g. water and oil). The range of colloidal systems and materials of practical importance is vast. Examples are : aerosols, cement, various composites, dyestuffs, emulsions, foams, foodstuffs, herbicides, ink, paint, paper, pesticides, pharmaceutical and cosmetic preparations, photographic emulsions, plastics, rubber, soil, etc. The quality and the applicability of these materials is mainly determined by colloidal physical factors such as size, shape and interactions of the dispersed particles (or macromolecules). These factors are studied with experimental physical-chemical methods.

Physical and Colloid Chemistry • Department of Chemistry • Faculty of Science • Contact FCOL
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