Colloid and Surface Chemistry

Colloids contain small particles ranging in size from a few nanometers up to about one micrometer, very often dispersed in a liquid. A characteristic feature of colloids is that the interfacial area between the particles and the surrounding liquid always becomes very large, which means that the chemistry that occurs at or near this interface becomes decisive for the properties of colloids.

Interfacial phenomena and colloids are important for a wide variety of applications, particularly in industry, including formulation and administration of pharmaceuticals, manufacturing of paper, hygiene products and other materials, food formulation as well as processes of concern for the environment. In this course, you will encounter several different colloids – dispersions, surfactant and polymer solutions, emulsions, and foams – and you will learn about how they are made, characterized, and applied.

The course Colloid and Surface Chemistry gives you a deeper understanding of physical chemistry with a clear link to practical applications. You will learn about the mechanisms behind important phenomena like surface tension, adsorption, adhesion, self-assembly, diffusion, electrophoresis, light scattering, aggregation and colloidal stability, which are all commonly encountered in numerous scientific areas. During the laboratory exercises of the course, you will work with different colloids and methods used for their characterization.  

Teaching

The course is given as a series of lectures, problem solving sessions and laboratory exercises. The course is designed to provide you with a solid background for carrying out independent project work, for finding work within the field or for pursuing further high-level studies.

The course is taught in English.