Chapter 7

Colloids
 Colloid
• Colloid is a system containing entities having
at least one length scale in between 1 nm and
1μm . The word colloid itself originates from a
Greek word meaning ‘glue-like’.
 Colloid
• Behavior of systems falling in this range depends
on the thickness (dimensions) of the system.
When the dimensions become small enough the
behavior of the system begins to deviate
substantially from what we observe in case of
larger dimensions.
• This is the reason why the study of colloids needs
to be done separately and their behavior cannot
be expected to be similar to those of macroscopic
objects.
 Colloid
• To understand this, we consider a spherical
particle of a certain radius.
• As the particle size is reduced, the surface area to
volume ratio increases as .
• For particles small enough, like in colloids, this
ratio becomes significantly large and a higher
percentage of molecules lie at the surface. Thus,
surface properties become very important.
• Here as the size of the particle decreases,
number of molecules on the surface increases in
comparison to the bulk.
 Interface
• An interface is the surface of contact between
any two condensed phases.
• It is not sharp in the sense that it cannot be
clearly defined where a particular phase ends and
the next begins.
• Higher the miscibility of the two phases, higher
the diffusion between the two surfaces.
• In the interfacial zone, there is a gradual change
in density. An interface is in a sense a colloid
because here we have a system in the range
of 1μm or smaller.
 Dispersion
• A dispersion is a collection of small particles in a matrix. It
has at least two phases:
– Dispersed phase
– Continuous medium
• The definition of a continuous phase is that if we start from
any point in a continuous phase, we can return to the same
point by moving along the same phase only.
• On the other hand, to go from one point to another of a
dispersed phase, we must necessarily cross the continuous
phase.
• For example, soap bubbles in water, where bubbles form
the dispersed phase and water is the continuous phase.
• stable dispersion?
• A stable dispersion is one in which the dispersed
particles remain single entities and do not coagulate.
• Coagulation leads to phase splitting and a complete
change in the properties of the system.
• In most situations we do not want coagulation to occur
but there in certain situations it might be beneficial.
For example, during purification of water, we want
coagulation to occur so that all the impurities come
together and can be disposed of easily.
• Types of stabilities
1. Thermodynamic stability (Of Theoretical Importance)
2. Kinetic stability (Of Practical Importance)
• A system is called thermodynamically unstable when
there exists a state where the system will have lower
energy than it currently has.
• A dispersion can be thermodynamically unstable, but
can still be kinetically stable.
• If in a dispersion (even if it is thermodynamically
unstable) the particles do not coagulate for a very long
period of time, it is, for all intents and purposes, a
stable dispersion, and is called kinetically stable.
• Stability of a System
• A system is a certain region on which we
concentrate our attention.
• When we talk about the stability of a system, it is
with respect to a particular attribute.
• A system may be stable with respect to a
particular attribute, but may be unstable with
respect to another.
• A system, in this sense, can be thought of as an
entity having infinite attributes.
• So a system can be in a locally stable (meta-
stable) or in a globally stable state.
• Given sufficient time, a system in a meta-
stable state would escape to a globally stable
state due to random perturbations.
• Interactions between particles
• The interaction between particles is due to the
interaction of the molecules in one particle with
those in the other particles
• Although an interaction between two individual
molecules becomes negligible after a small
distance (say about 5 Angstrom), the interaction
between two particles containing many
molecules is significant upto much larger
distances..
• There are many different types of interactions
between molecules.
• Some of the significant types of interactions
between molecules are-
1. Van Der Waals force
2. Electrostatic double layer force
3. Acid-Base interactions (For this interaction,
conjugate polarity is required amongst
neighboring molecules)
 Common Types of Colloids
• A common method of classifying colloids is based
on the phase of the dispersed substance and
what phase it is dispersed in. The types of colloids
includes sol, emulsion, foam, and aerosol.
– Sol is a colloidal suspension with solid particles in a
liquid.
– Emulsion is between two liquids.
– Foam is formed when many gas particles are trapped
in a liquid or solid.
– Aerosol contains small particles of liquid or solid
dispersed in a gas.
 Importance of colloids

• Using the knowledge of colloidal phenomena, we can create

materials having some desired properties. For example,
• Composites, where we can tailor the properties appropriate for a
particular purpose.
• Pastes for micro-electronic components having a suitable thermal
conductivity.
• Structural materials for aircrafts and automobiles, which make
them tough as well as lightweight.
• Coatings for contact lens or a graft giving it the right surface
properties. Here, one is concerned with the bio-compatibility which
is a property of the surface and not the bulk because the lipids or
proteins would see only the surface of the lens/graft.
 Importance of colloids
• Nano-composites where the dispersed particles are of the
size less than one nm.
• There are involved procedures for doing this, which require
an understanding of colloid physics and chemistry.
• For example, consider a [Link] it is loaded, a
failure is more likely to get initiated at an interface. The
interface might tear leaving behind a blister. So, we have to
go the colloidal scale to determine the strength of a
composite.
• Apart from the above applications, colloidal phenomenon
also has immense importance in the field of surfactants and
detergency.
 Physical Properties of Colloidal
Solutions
• Stability: Colloids are relatively stable in nature. The particles of the
dispersed phase are in a state of continuous motion and remain
suspended in the solution.
• Filterability: Colloids require specialized filters known as ultrafilters
for filtration.
• They readily pass through ordinary filter papers without yielding
any residue.
• Heterogenous nature: Since colloids consist of two phases, the
dispersed phase as well as the dispersion medium, they are known
as heterogeneous in nature.
• Homogenous appearance: Even though colloids have suspended
particles and are heterogeneous in nature, they appear as if a
homogenous solution. This is because the suspended particles are
so tiny that they are not conceivable by the naked eye
 Colligative Properties
• The particles of the dispersed phase come
together to form associate molecules.
• The formation of these associate molecules
renders the solution certain special properties
such as a decrease in vapor pressure,
elevation in boiling point, depression in
freezing point, a decrease in osmotic pressure
 Colligative Properties
• Colloids exhibit a phenomenon known as the
Tyndall effect observed by Tyndall in 1869.
• When we pass an intense converging beam of
light through a colloidal solution kept in dark,
the path of the beam gets illuminated with a
bluish light.
 Technological applications of colloids
• Natural applications
• (i) Blue colour of the sky : Colloidal particles scatter
blue light.
• Dust particles along with water suspended in air
scatter blue light which reaches our eyes and the sky
looks blue to us.
• (ii) Fog, mist and rain : When a large mass of air,
containing dust particles, is cooled below its dewpoint,
the moisture from the air condenses on the surfaces of
these particles forming fine droplets.
• These droplets being colloidal in nature continue to
float in the air in the form of mist or fog
Technological applications of colloids -
Natural applications
• Clouds are aerosols having small droplets of
water suspended in air. On account of
condensation in the upper atmosphere, the
colloidal droplets of water grow bigger and
bigger in size, till they come down in the form
of rain.
• Sometimes, the rainfall occurs when two
oppositively charged clouds meet.
Technological applications of colloids -
Natural applications
• It is possible to cause artificial rain by throwing
electrified sand or spraying a sol carrying charge
opposite to the one on clouds from an aeroplane.
• (iii) Food articles : Milk, butter, halwa, ice creams,
fruit juices, etc., are all colloids in one form or the
other.
• (iv) Blood : Blood is a colloidal solution of an
albuminoid substance. The styptic action of alum
and ferric chloride solution is due to coagulation
of blood forming a clot which stops further
bleeding. (
Technological applications of colloids -
Natural applications
• v)Soils : Fertile soils are colloidal in nature in
which humus acts as a protective colloid. On
account of colloidal nature, soils adsorb moisture
and nourishing materials.
• (vi) Formation of delta : River water is colloidal
solution of clay. Sea water contains a number of
electrolytes. When river water meets the sea
water, the electrolytes present in sea water
coagulate the colloidal solution of clay which get
deposited with the formation of delta.
Technological applications of colloids -
Technical Applications
• Electrical precipitation of smoke : Smoke is a colloidal
solution of solid particles such as carbon, arsenic
compounds, dust, etc., in air.
• The smoke, before it comes out from the chimney, is
led through a chamber containing plates having a
charge opposite to that carried by smoke particles.
• The particles on coming in contact with these plates
lose their charge and get precipitated.
• The particles thus settle down on the floor of the
chamber. The precipitator is called Cottrell precipitator
Technological applications of colloids -
Technical Applications
• . Purification of drinking water : The water
obtained from natural sources often contains
bacteria and suspended impurities.
• Alum is added to such water so as to destroy
the bacteria as well as to coagulate the
suspended impurities and make water fit for
drinking purposes.
Technological applications of colloids -
Technical Applications
• Medicines : Most of the medicines in use are
colloidal in nature. For example, argyrol is a silver
sol used as an eye lotion.
• Colloidal antimony is used in curing kalazar.
• Colloidal gold is used for intramuscular injection.
• Milk of magnesia, an emulsion, is used for
stomach disorders.
• Colloidal medicines are more effective because
these are easily assimilated.
Technological applications of colloids -
Technical Applications
• Tanning : Animal hides are colloidal in nature.
When a hide, which has positively charged
particles, is soaked in tannin, which contains
negatively charged colloidal particles, mutual
coagulation takes place, which results in the
hardening of leather.
• The process is termed as tanning. Chromium
salts have been used in place of tanning
Technological applications of colloids -
Technical Applications
• Photographic plates and films : The photographic
plates or films are prepared by coating an
emulsion of the light sensitive silver bromide in
gelatin over glass plates or celluloid films.
• Rubber industry Latex is a colloidal solution of
rubber particles which are negatively charged.
• Rubber is obtained by coagulation of latex.
Industrial products :
• Paints, inks, synthetic plastics, rubber, graphite
lubricants, cement, etc., are all colloidal
solutions..
 Hydrocolloids
• Hydrocolloids used in food are
polysaccharides of high molecular weight,
extracted from plants and seaweeds or
produced by microbial synthesis.
• The plant raw materials are then partly
processed further, e.g. by the addition of
functional sidegroups, by hydrolysis, by
purification and by standardisation.
 Hydrocolloids
• Hydrocolloids are used for a wide range of
different functions within food: thickening,
gelling, generating mouth-feel, film-forming,
foaming, improving bake-stability, improving
freeze-thaw stability, preventing crystal growth,
stabilising suspensions or emulsions, and
encapsulation.
• It can therefore be a challenge to select the right
hydrocolloid for a specific food end-product
 Nanoparticles
• Colloidal particles range in diameter from 1-1000
nanometers and can be solid, liquid, or gaseous.
Our discussion here will be limited to particles
within the 1-100 nanometer scale, better known
as nanoparticles.
• Nanoparticles have become an increasingly
important and popular technology in many parts
of modern society. We see these systems in
textiles, computer systems, and, most
importantly for us, pharmaceuticals.