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Related Concept Videos

Colloids03:22

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...
The Colloidal State01:29

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...
Colloidal precipitates01:09

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...
Coagulation01:06

Coagulation

Colloidal solids are solid particles suspended in solution. They are usually negatively charged, attracting a compact primary layer of positively charged ions, which attract more counterions to form an electrical double layer. Electrostatic repulsion between the charged double layers prevents the particles from colliding, stabilizing the colloids. These solids are often undesirable because they can contain toxins that are difficult to remove. Coagulation is a technique that helps aggregate and...
Colloids and Suspensions01:17

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...
Mechanism of Filopodia Formation01:39

Mechanism of Filopodia Formation

Filopodia are thin, actin-rich cellular protrusions that play an important role in many fundamental cellular functions. They vary in their occurrence, length, and positioning in different cell types, suggesting their diverse roles.
Their main function is to guide migrating cells during normal tissue morphogenesis or cancer metastasis by recognizing and making initial contacts with the extracellular matrix. However, they can also act as stationary cell anchors or help to establish communication...

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Patterning of Microorganisms and Microparticles through Sequential Capillarity-assisted Assembly
10:17

Patterning of Microorganisms and Microparticles through Sequential Capillarity-assisted Assembly

Published on: November 4, 2021

Self-assembly of colloids with liquid protrusions.

Daniela J Kraft1, Wessel S Vlug, Carlos M van Kats

  • 1Van't Hoff Laboratory for Physical and Colloid Chemistry, Debye Institute for NanoMaterials Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands. d.j.kraft@uu.nl

Journal of the American Chemical Society
|December 25, 2008
PubMed
Summary

Researchers developed a simple method to create colloidal molecules with controlled shapes and tunable patches. This synthesis technique uses liquid protrusions or wetting layers on polymer particles to form complex assemblies like colloidosomes.

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Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Colloid Science
  • Polymer Chemistry

Background:

  • Colloidal molecules offer unique properties for advanced materials.
  • Controlling the shape and surface interactions of colloidal particles is crucial for self-assembly.
  • Existing methods for synthesizing complex colloidal structures are often limited in flexibility and control.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To present a facile and flexible synthesis for colloidal molecules with controlled shape and tunable patchiness.
  • To demonstrate the assembly of colloidal molecules and colloidosomes via liquid protrusion or wetting layer coalescence.
  • To explore methods for precise control over particle topology, cluster size, and chemical diversity.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizing cross-linked polystyrene or poly(methyl methacrylate) spheres with liquid protrusions or wetting layers.
  • Inducing assembly through the coalescence of liquid components driven by surface energy.
  • Employing subsequent polymerization to form stable colloidal molecules and colloidosomes.
  • Tuning particle topology by adjusting swelling monomer amount/nature and liquid-particle wetting angle.

Main Results:

  • Successfully synthesized colloidal molecules and colloidosomes with tunable patchiness and controlled topology.
  • Demonstrated that cluster size can be controlled by seed size and swelling ratio.
  • Achieved chemical diversity in patches and the core by using different swelling monomers and particles.
  • Observed that assemblies mimic clusters minimizing mass distribution or colloidosomes with elastic strain relief.

Conclusions:

  • The presented method offers a versatile platform for creating complex colloidal architectures.
  • The ability to control shape, size, and surface chemistry opens avenues for designing novel functional materials.
  • This approach provides a pathway to engineer colloidal systems with properties ranging from discrete clusters to elastic shells.