COLLOIDS

Colloidal is a Heterogeneous system which consist of two phases-dispersed

phase and dispersed medium. The essential difference between a colloid
is that of particle size. In a solution, the constituents particles are ions or
small molecules in a single macromolecule or an aggregate of many
atoms, ions or molecules. Colloid particles are larger than simple molecules
but small enough to remain suspended. Their range of diameters is
between 1 and 1000 nm (10 to 10 m).Colloidal particles have an
enormous surface area per unit mass as a result of their small size.

Classification of Colloids
Colloids are classified on the basis of the following criteria:

 Physical state of dispersed phase and dispersed medium.

 Nature of interaction between dispersed phase and dispersed medium.

 Types of particles of the dispersed phase.

Classification based on physical state of

dispersed phase and dispersion medium
Depending upon whether the dispersed phase and the dispersion medium
are solids, liquids or gases, eight types of colloidal systems are possible. A
gas mixed with another gas forms a homogeneous mixture and hence is not
a colloidal systems. The example of the various types of colloid along with
their typical names are listed in table.
Dispersion Dispersion Type of Example
phase medium colloid

Solid Solid Solid sol Some coloured glasses and

gem stones
Solid Liquid Sol Paints, cell fluids
Solid Gas Aerosol Smoke, dust
Liquid Solid Gel Cheese, butter, jellies
Liquid Liquid Emulsion Milk, hair cream
Liquid Gas Aerosol Fog, mist, cloud, insecticide
sprays
Gas Solid Solid sol Pumice stone, foam rubber
Gas Liquid Foam Froth, whipped cream, soap
lather
Many familiar commercial products and natural objects are colloids. For example,
whipped cream is a foam, which is a gas dispersed in a liquid. Firefighting foam,
used at emergency airplane landings are also colloidal systems. Most biological
fluids are aqueous sol. Within a typical cell, protein and nucleic acids are colloidal-
size particles dispersed in an aqueous solution of ions and small molecules.

Out of the various types of colloids given in table, the most common are
sols ( Solids in liquid), gels (liquid in solid) and emulsion (liquid in liquid)

Classification based on Nature of interaction

between Dispersed phase and Dispersion medium

Depending upon the nature of interaction between the dispersed phase and the
dispersion medium, colloidal sol are divided into two categories, lyophillic and
lyophobic. If water is dispersion medium, the terms used are Hydrophillic and
Hydrophobic.
 Lyophillic colloids : The word ‘lyophillic’ means liquid-loving. Colloidal sols
directly formed by mixing substances like gum, starch, rubber, etc., with
suitable liquids are called Lyophillic sols. An important characteristics about
these sols is that if dispersion medium is separated from dispersed phase,
the can be reconstituted by simply remixing with dispersion medium. Hence
these sols are called reversible sols. These sols are quite stable and are not
coagulated.

Lyophobic colloids : The word ‘lyophobic’ means Liquid-hating. Substances

like metals, their sulphides, etc,. when simply mixed with dispersion medium
do not form colloidal their colloidal sols can be prepared only by special
methods. Such sols are called Lyophobic sols. These sols are readily
precipitated on addition of small amount of electrolyte, by heating or by
shaking and hence, are not stable. Once precipitated, they do not go back
the colloidal sols by simple addition of the dispersion medium. Hence these
sols are called irreversible sols.
Classification based on Type of Particles of
Dispersed phase
Multimolecular colloids : On dissolution, a large number of atoms and
small molecules of a substance aggregate together to form species having
colloidal range. The range formed called Multimolecular colloids. For example
gold sol and sulphur sol.

Macromolecular colloids : When large size molecules break such that the
smaller particles comes in colloidal range. The range formed is called
Macromolecular colloids. These colloids are quite stable. For example-
naturally occurring Macromolecules are starch, cellulose, proteins, and
enzymes while man-made macromolecules are polythene, nylon, synthetic
rubber, etc.

Associated colloids (micelles) : There are some substances which at

low concentration behave as normal strong electrolytes, but at higher
concentration exhibit colloidal behaviour due to formation of aggregate. The
aggregated particles are called Associated particles. They are also known as
 Micelles. The formation of Micelles take place only at a particular temperature
an concentration and are known as Kraft temperature and Critical micelle
concentration respectively.

Preparation of colloids
Chemical Methods : Colloids can be prepared by chemical reactions
leading to the formation of molecules. These molecules aggregate leading to
formation of sols.

As2 + 3H2O Double Decomposition As2S3(Sol) + 3H2O

SO2 + 2H2O Oxidation 3S(Sol) + 2H2

2AuCl3 + 3HCHO + 3H2O Reduction 2Au(Sol) + 3HCOOH + 3HCl

FeCl3 + 3H2O Hydrolysis Fe(OH)3 (Sol) + 3HCl

Electrical disintegration or bredig’s arc method : This

process involves dispersion as well as condensation. Colloidal sols can be
prepared by this method. In this method, electric arc is struck between
electrodes of the metal immersed in the dispersion medium. The intense heat
produced vapourises the metal which then condense to form particles of
colloidal size.
 Peptization : Peptization may be defined as the process of
converting a precipitate into a colloidal sols by shaking it with dispersion
medium in the presence of a small amount of electrolyte. The electrolytes used
for this purpose is called peptizating agent. This method is generally used for
converting freshly prepared precipitate into a colloidal sol.

Purification of Colloidal Solution

Colloidal solution when prepared generally contains excessive
amount of electrolytes and some other soluble impurities. It is, therefore,
necessary to reduce the concentration of these soluble impurities. The
process of reducing the amount of impurities to the requisite minimum is
known as purification of colloidal solution. The purification of colloidal
solution is carried out by the following methods :

Dialysis : It is the process of removing a dissolved substance from a

colloidal solution by means of diffusion through a suitable membrane. Since
particles in a true solution can pass through animal membrane and
parchment paper but not a colloidal particles, the membrane is used for
dialysis.
 Electro-dialysis : Ordinarily, the process of dialysis is quite slow
It is made faster by applying electric field if the dissolved substance in the
impure colloidal solution is an electrolyte. Then the process is known as
electro-dialysis.
Ultrafilteration: Ultrafilteration is the process of separating the
colloidal particles from the solvent and soluble filters. The pores of filter
paper can be reduced in size by impregnating with colloidion solution to
stop the flow of colloidal particles. Ultrafilteration is a slow process. To
speed up the process, pressure or suction is applied.

Properties of colloidal solutions

Colligative properties : Colloidal particles being bigger
aggregates. The number of particles in a colloidal solution is comparatively
small as compared to a true solution hence, the value of Colligative
properties are of small order as compared to values shown by true solutions
at small concentration.

Tyndall Effect : when the light is passed through a colloidal solution the
path of the light is illuminated by a bluish light. This effect is called Tyndall
effect and the bright cone of light is called Tyndall cone.
The condition for tyndall effect are :

The diameter of the dispersed particles should not be of much

smaller than the wavelength of the light used.
The refracted indices of the dispersed phase and dispersion medium
should differ greater in magnitude.
The reason for tyndall effect is scattering of light in colloidal solution.

Brownian movement : the colloidal particles are in

 continuous zig-zag movement which is known as Brownian motion.
The Brownian movement has been explained due to the unbalanced
bombardment of the particles by the molecules of dispersion medium

Brownian movement is responsible for the stability of the colloidal solution

Charge on Colloidal particles : All colloidal particles carry

charge. It can be positive or negative. Examples of positively charged sols
are – Al2O3 , CrO3 , Blood, etc. examples of negatively charged particles are
copper ,silver ,gold ,etc .
Reason for charge

There are many theories for the development of charge but the most
expected is preferential adsorbtion. The colloidal sol particles acquire
positive and negative charges by preferential adsorbtion of positive and
negative ions. When two or more ions are present in dispersion medium.
Preferential adsorbtion of the ion common to the colloidal particles take
place.

Electrophoresis : When a colloidal sol is kept in an electrical

field, the colloidal particle will move to the opposite electrode. The
movement of the particles is called as Electrophoresis.
Coagulation or precipitation : The stability of lyophillic sols is
due to the charge on the colloidal particles. If this charge is removed. The
particles will come together to form aggregates.
 The process of settling down of colloidal particles is called as
coagulation or precipitation. The coagulation of particles can be carried out
by the following ways :

(i) By the process of Electrophoresis.

(ii) By mixing the two positively charged sols.
(iii) By the addition of electrolytes.

Hardy-Schulze law : According to this law, Greater the value of the

flocculating ion, Greater is its power to coagulate.

Coagulation Value : The minimum value of an electrolyte in millimoles

per litres required to cause precipitation of a sol in two hours is called as
coagulation value.

Protection of colloids
Lyophillic sols are more stable than Lyophillic sols. This is due to the
fact that lyophobic colloids are extensively solvated, i.e the colloidal
particles are covered by a sheath of the liquids in which they are dispersed.
Lyophillic colloids have a unique property of protecting lyophobic colloids.
When lyophillic sol are added to lyophobic sols, the lyophillic particles form
a layer around a lyophobic particles and protect the latter from electrolyte.
Lyophillic colloids are also called as protective colloids.

Emulsions

Emulsion are the colloidal sols of liquid-liquid Colloidal system. These are of
two types :
 Oil dispersed in water emulsion : In this system, Water acts as
dispersion medium. Example of this type of emulsion are Milk and
vanishing cream. In milk, liquid fat is dispersed in water. This is
emulsion are quite unstable and sometimes they separate into two
layers standing.
  Water dispersed in oil emulsion : In this type of emulsion, Oil acts as a
Dispersion medium. Common examples are Butter and cream. This
emulsion is stable.

Colloids around us
Most of the substances we came across in our daily life are colloids.:

Following are some of the interesting examples of the colloids :

(i) Blue colour of sky : Dust particles along with water suspended in air
scatter blue light which reaches our eye and the sky looks blue to us.

(ii) Artificial rain : It is possible to cause artificial rain by throwing an

electrolyte on the cloud by an aeroplane.
.
(iii) Blood : It is a colloidal solution of albuminoid substance. The styptic
action of alum and ferric chloride solution is due to coagulation of blood
forming a clot which stops further bleeding.
(iv) Formation of delta : River water is a colloidal solution of clay. Sea
water contains a number of electrolytes. When river water meets sea water,
the electrolytes present may coagulate with the colloidal particles results in
the formation of delta.
(v) Purification of drinking water : The water obtained from natural
source often contains suspended impurities. Alum is added to such water to
coagulate the suspended impurities and make water fit for drinking purpose.

 NCERT
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