COLLOIDS
COLLOIDS
A colloid is a substance microscopically
dispersed throughout another substance.
The word colloid comes from a Greek
word 'kolla', which means glue thus
colloidal particles are glue like
substances.
These particles pass through a filter paper
but not through a semipermeable
membrane.
Colloids can be made settle by the process
of centrifugation.
The colloidal system consist of two phases:
A dispersed phase (A
discontinuous phase )
A dispersion medium ( A
continuous phase )
The dispersed-phase particles have a diameter of
between approximately 1nm – 100nm .
Such particles are normally invisible in an optical,
though their presence can be confirmed with the
use of an ultramicroscope or an electron
microscope.
SOLUTIONS
Made up of particles or solutes and a solvent
The solvent part of the solution is usually a
liquid, but can be a gas.
The particles are atoms, ions, or molecules that
are very small in diameter.
COLLOIDAL MIXTURE
Has particles that are not as small as a solution
and not as large as a suspension.
The particles are intermediate in size.
SUSPENSIONS
Made up of particles and a solvent
its particles are larger than those found in a
solution.
The particles in a suspension can be distributed
throughout the suspension evenly by shaking the
mixture.
Comparison of the Properties of
Solutions, Colloids, And Suspensions
Property True Solution Colloid Suspension
Particle Size Less than 1 nm 1 to 100 nm More than 100 nm
Appearance Clear Cloudy Cloudy
Homogeneity Homogeneous Homogeneous or Heterogeneous
Heterogeneous
Transparency Transparent but Often translucent Often opaque but
often coloured and opaque but can can be translucent
be transparent
Separation Does not separate Can be seperated Separates or settles
Filterability Passes through filter Passes through filter Particles do not
paper paper pass through filter
paper
Examples of colloids are milk, synthetic
polymers, fog,
blood, jam, shoe polish, smoke, etc.
CLASSIFICATION OF COLLOIDS
Based of physical state of dispersed phase an dispersion medium.
Based of nature of interaction between dispersed phase and dispersion
medium.
Based on molecular size in the dispersed phase.
Based on appearance of colloids.
Based on electric charge on dispersion phase.
Based on physical state of dispersed phase and
dispersion medium
BASED ON NATURE OF INTERACTION BETWEEN
DISPERSED PHASE AND DISPERSION MEDIUM
LYOPHILIC COLLOIDS
Colloidal solution in which the dispersed phase has a
great affinity for the dispersion medium.
They are also termed as intrinsic colloids.
Such substances have tendency to pass into colloidal
solution when brought in contact with dispersion
medium.
If the dispersion medium is water, they are called
hydrophilic or emulsoids.
The lyophilic colloids are generally self- stabilized.
Reversible in nature and are heavily hydrated.
Example of lyophilic colloids are starch, gelatin,
rubber, protein etc.
LYOPHOBIC COLLOIDS
Colloidal solutions in which the dispersed phase has no
affinity to the dispersion medium.
These are also referred as extrinsic colloids.
Such substances have no tendency to pass into colloidal
solution when brought in contact with dispersion medium.
The lyophobic colloids are relatively unstable.
They are irreversible by nature and are stabilized by
adding small amount of electrolyte.
They are poorly hydrated.
If the dispersion medium is water, the lyophobic colloids
are called hyrophobic or suspenoids.
Examples: sols of metals like Au, Ag, sols of metal
hyroxides and sols of metal sulphides.
Based on molecular size in the dispersed phase.
MULTIMOLECULAR
COLLOIDS
Individual particles of the dispersed phase
consists of aggregates of atoms or small
molecules having diameter less than 10-7cm .
The particles are held by weak vander waal’s
forces.
Example; gold sol, sulphur sol
MACROMOLECULAR
COLLOIDS
The particles of dispersed phase are sufficiently
large in size enough to be of colloidal solution.
These are called Natural Polymers.
ASSOCIATED COLLOIDS
These colloids behave as normal electrolytes
at low concentrations but behave as colloids
at higher concentrations.
These associated colloids are also referred to
as micelles.
Sodium stearate (C18H35NaO2)behave as
electrolyte in dilute solution but colloid in
higher concentrations.
Examples: Soaps , higher alkyl sulphonates ,
polythene oxide.
Based on appearance of colloids
• SOLS
When a colloidal solution appears as fluid.
The sols are generally named as dispersion
medium.
When the dispersion medium is water, the
sol is known as hydrosol or aquosol.
When the dispersion medium is alcohol or
benzene it is called alcosol and benzosol
respectively.
• GELS
When a colloidal solution appear as solid.
The rigidity of gel varies from substance to
substance.
Examples : jelly, butter, cheese, curd.
BASED ON ELECTRICAL CHARGE ON
DISPERSION PHASE
POSITIVE COLLOIDS
When dispersed phase in a colloidal
solution carries a positive charge.
Examples : Metal hyroxides like Fe(OH)3,
Al(OH)2, methylene blue sol etc.
NEGATIVE COLLOIDS
When dispersed phase in a colloidal
solution carries a negative charge.
Examples : Ag sol, Cu sol
d) Chemical methods:
Colloids can be prepared by following chemicals methods..
1) Oxidation:
Addition of oxygen and removal of hydrogen is called oxidation.
For example: Colloidal solution of sulphur can be prepared by oxidizing an aqueous
solution of H2S with a suitable oxidizing agent such as bromine water.
H2S + Br2 → 2HBr + S
2H2S + SO2 → 2H2O + 3S
2)Reduction:
Addition of hydrogen and removal of oxygen is called
reduction.
For example: Gold sol can be obtained by reducing a
dilute aqueous solution of gold with stannous chloride.
2AuCl3 + 3SnCl2 → 3SnCl4 + 2Au
3) Hydrolysis:
It is the break down of water.
Sols of ferric hydroxide and aluminium hydroxide can be
prepared by boiling the aqueous solution of the corresponding
chlorides.
For example.
FeCl3 + 3H2S → Fe(OH)3 + 3HCl
4) Double Decompostion
The sols of inorganic insoluble salts such as arsenous sulphide, silver halide
etc may be prepared by using double decomposition reaction.
For example: Arsenous sulphide sol can be prepared by passing H2S gas
through a dilute aqueous solution of arsenous oxide.
As2O3 + 3H2S → As2S3(OH)3 + 3H2O
Purification of colloids
There are three common methods used
for purification of colloids:
Dialysis
Electrodialysis
Ultra filteration
Dialysis
The process of separating the particles of
colloid from those of crystalloid, by means of
diffusion through a suitable membrane.
It’s principle is that colloidal particles can
not pass through a cellophane membrane
while the ions of the electrolyte can pass
through it.
The impurities slowly diffused out of the
bag leaving behind pure colloidal solution.
The distilled water is changed frequently
to avoid accumulation of the crystalloids
otherwise they may start diffusing back into
the bag.
Dialysis can be used for
removing HCl from the ferric hydroxide sol.
Electro dialysis
The process of dialysis is very
slow.
The process is speeded up by
application of electrical
potential.
This is called electro dialysis.
Application of electro dialysis:
Artificial kidney machine make use of
electro dialysis.
Ultra filtration
Ultra filtration is a process of high
pressure
filtration through a semi
permeable membrane
in which colloidal particles are
retained while
the small sized solutes and the
solvent are
forced to move across the
membrane by
hydrostatic pressure forces.
Application of ultra filtration:
Ultra filtration is a vital process that takes place in the
kidneys.
PROPERTIES OF COLLOIDS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF
COLLOIDS
• Heterogeneity: Colloidal solutions consist of two phases-dispersed phase
and dispersion medium.
• Visibility of dispersed particles: The dispersed particles present in them
are not visible to the naked eye and they appear homogenous.
• Filterability: The colloidal particles pass through an ordinary filter paper.
However, they can be retained by animal membranes, cellophane
membrane and ultrafilters.
• Stability: Lyophilic sols in general and lyophobic sols in the absence of
substantial concentrations of electrolytes are quite stable.
• Colour: The colour of a colloidal solution depends upon the size of colloidal
particles present in it. Larger particles absorb the light of longer wavelength
and therefore transmit light of shorter wavelength.
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
OFCOLLOIDS
• TYNDALL EFFECT
• When an intense converging beam of light is passed
through a colloidal solution kept in dark, the path of
the beam gets illuminated with a bluish light.
• This phenomenon is called Tyndall effect and the
illuminated path is known as Tyndall cone.
• The Tyndall effect is due to the scattering of light by
colloidal particles.
• Tyndall effect is not exhibited by true solutions. This is
because the particles present in a true solution are too
small to scatter light.
• Tyndall effect can be used to distinguish a colloidal
solution from a true solution. The phenomenon has
also been used to devise an instrument known as ultra
microscope. The instrument is used for the detection
of the particles of colloidal dimensions.
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF
COLLOIDS
• BROWNIAN MOVEMENT
• The continuous zigzag movement of the colloidal
particles in the dispersion medium in a colloidal
solution is called Brownian movement.
• Brownian movement is due to the unequal
bombardments of the moving molecules of
dispersion medium on colloidal particles.
• The Brownian movement decreases with an
increase in the size of colloidal particle. This is why
suspensions do not exhibit this type of movement.
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES OF
COLLOIDS
• ELECTROPHORESIS
• The movement of colloidal particles
towards a particular electrode under the
influence of an electric field.
• If the colloidal particles carry positive
charge, they move towards cathode when
subjected to an electric field and vice
versa.
• ELECTROSMOSIS
• The movement of dispersion medium under the influence of an electric
field in the situation when the movement of colloidal particles is
prevented with the help of a suitable membrane.
• During electrosmosis, colloidal particles are checked and it is the
dispersion medium that moves towards the oppositely charged electrode.
ADVANTAGES OF COLLOIDS
Colloids allow the dispersion of normally insoluble
materials, such as metallic gold or fats. These can
then be used more easily, or absorbed more easily.
Colloidal gold, for example, can be used in
medicine to carry drugs and antibiotics, because it is
highly non-reactive and non-toxic.
Pharmaceutical industry makes use of colloidal
solution preparation in many medicines. A wide
variety of medicines are emulsions. An example is
Cod Liver Oil.
Paint industry also uses colloids in the preparation
of paints.
In milk, the colloidal suspension of the fats prevents
the milk from being thick, and allows for easy
absorption of the nutrients.
Sewage water contains particles of dirt, mud etc.
which are colloidal in nature and carry some electrical
charge. These particles may be removed by using the
phenomenon of electrophoresis.
The sky is the empty space around earth and as such
has no colour. It appears blue due to the scattering of
light by the colloidal dust particles present in air
(Tyndall effect).
The sugar present in milk produces lactic acid on
fermentation. Ions produced by acid, destroy the
charge on the colloidal particles present in milk,
which then coagulate and separate as curd.
Soap solution is colloidal in nature. It removes the
dirt particles either by adsorption or by emulsifying
the greasy matter sticking to the cloth.
Large numbers of food particles which we use in
our daily life are colloidal in nature.
Example: Milk, butter, & ice cream etc
