Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

The Colloidal State

The Colloidal State

The formation of a colloidal system is exemplified by an aqueous solution containing Cl− ions is introduced to another containing Ag+ ions, resulting in the precipitation of solid AgCl as extremely tiny crystals. Instead of settling out as a filterable precipitate, these crystals remain suspended in the liquid, showcasing a colloidal system.A colloidal system involves colloidal particles within the approximate range of 1 to 1000 nm in at least one dimension, dispersed in a medium called the...

Colloids and Suspensions

Colloids and Suspensions

Children at play often make suspensions such as mixtures of mud and water, flour and water, or a suspension of solid pigments in water known as tempera paint. These suspensions are heterogeneous mixtures composed of relatively large particles visible to the naked eye or seen with a magnifying glass. They are cloudy, and the suspended particles settle out after mixing. The suspended particles in a suspension settle out after some time of mixing. The separation of particles from a suspension is...

Colloids

Colloids

Children at play often make suspensions such as mixtures of mud and water, flour and water, or a suspension of solid pigments in water known as tempera paint. These suspensions are heterogeneous mixtures composed of relatively large particles that are visible to the naked eye or can be seen with a magnifying glass. They are cloudy, and the suspended particles settle out after mixing. On the other hand, a solution is a homogeneous mixture in which no settling occurs and in which the dissolved...

Colloidal precipitates

Colloidal precipitates

The high insolubility of some precipitates can result in an unfavorable relative supersaturation. This can lead to colloidal particles with a large surface-to-mass ratio, where adsorption is promoted. For instance, in the precipitation of silver chloride, silver ions are adsorbed on the surface of the colloidal particles, forming a primary layer. This layer attracts ions of opposite charge (such as nitrate ions), forming a diffuse secondary layer of adsorbed ions. This electric double layer...

Intermolecular Forces in Solutions

Intermolecular Forces in Solutions

The formation of a solution is an example of a spontaneous process, a process that occurs under specified conditions without energy from some external source.
When the strengths of the intermolecular forces of attraction between solute and solvent species in a solution are no different than those present in the separated components, the solution is formed with no accompanying energy change. Such a solution is called an ideal solution. A mixture of ideal gases (or gases such as helium and argon,...

Intermolecular Forces

Intermolecular Forces

Atoms and molecules interact through bonds (or forces): intramolecular and intermolecular. The forces are electrostatic as they arise from interactions (attractive or repulsive) between charged species (permanent, partial, or temporary charges) and exist with varying strengths between ions, polar, nonpolar, and neutral molecules. The different types of intermolecular forces are ion–dipole, dipole–dipole, hydrogen bonds, and dispersion; among these, dipole–dipole, hydrogen bonds, and dispersion...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Exploring atmospheric optical turbulence: observations across zenith angles.

Applied optics·2024

Same author

Rheology of hard glassy materials.

Journal of physics. Condensed matter : an Institute of Physics journal·2020

Same author

Cooperative mechanosensitivity and allostery of focal adhesion clusters.

Physical biology·2017

Same author

Paleoecology and paleoceanography of the Athel silicilyte, Ediacaran-Cambrian boundary, Sultanate of Oman.

Geobiology·2017

Same author

Kinetics of fragmentation and dissociation of two-strand protein filaments: Coarse-grained simulations and experiments.

The Journal of chemical physics·2016

Same author

F1 rotary motor of ATP synthase is driven by the torsionally-asymmetric drive shaft.

Scientific reports·2016

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 14, 2026

Confocal Imaging of Confined Quiescent and Flowing Colloid-polymer Mixtures

Confocal Imaging of Confined Quiescent and Flowing Colloid-polymer Mixtures

Published on: May 20, 2014

Colloidal interactions and transport in nematic liquid crystals.

S A Tatarkova¹, D R Burnham, A K Kirby

¹Department of Physics, Durham University, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE, United Kingdom.

Physical Review Letters

|May 16, 2007

Summary

Researchers developed a novel nematic liquid-crystal colloid system with charge-stabilized particles. This system utilizes laser heating to induce an interaction force, offering new possibilities for colloidal science.

More Related Videos

Forming, Confining, and Observing Microtubule-Based Active Nematics

Forming, Confining, and Observing Microtubule-Based Active Nematics

Published on: January 13, 2023

Synthesis and Characterization of Supramolecular Colloids

Synthesis and Characterization of Supramolecular Colloids

Published on: April 22, 2016

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 14, 2026

Confocal Imaging of Confined Quiescent and Flowing Colloid-polymer Mixtures

Confocal Imaging of Confined Quiescent and Flowing Colloid-polymer Mixtures

Published on: May 20, 2014

Forming, Confining, and Observing Microtubule-Based Active Nematics

Forming, Confining, and Observing Microtubule-Based Active Nematics

Published on: January 13, 2023

Synthesis and Characterization of Supramolecular Colloids

Synthesis and Characterization of Supramolecular Colloids

Published on: April 22, 2016

Area of Science:

Colloidal Science
Liquid Crystals
Soft Matter Physics

Background:

Nematic liquid crystals exhibit unique orientational order.
Colloidal systems require understanding of interparticle forces for stability and behavior.
Controlling particle interactions is key to designing advanced materials.

Purpose of the Study:

To introduce a new nematic liquid-crystal colloid system.
To investigate particle charge stabilization and interaction forces.
To explore the role of director anchoring and induced forces.

Main Methods:

Electrophoretic measurements to determine effective particle charge.
Infrared (IR) laser heating to create localized isotropic regions.
Theoretical modeling of induced flexoelectric polarization and quadrupolar symmetry.

Main Results:

Low director anchoring energy (W) observed, resulting in minimal director distortion around particles.
A novel interaction force was generated via radial distribution of the nematic order parameter.
Induced flexoelectric polarization was identified as the mechanism for the long-range force.

Conclusions:

The developed system demonstrates effective charge stabilization and tunable interactions.
Flexoelectric polarization offers a new route for controlling forces in liquid-crystal colloids.
This work provides a foundation for designing responsive and structured colloidal materials.