Colloids

• an intermediate type of mixture that has a

particle size between those of true solutions
and suspensions.
• suspension of tiny particles of one substance,
COLLOIDS called the dispersed phase, in another phase,
called the dispersion medium. The particles
are so small that they remain in suspension
indefinitely, unaffected by gravity.
LUZVIMINDA S. QUITOS – The particles do not settle out of the solution but
Department of Chemistry they make the solution cloudy or opaque.
CAS, CLSU

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Colloids
• It is an intermediate kind of mixture in which
the solute like particles (dispersed phase) are
suspended in solvent like particles (dispersion
medium)
• The term originates from the greek word kolla
which means glue and eidos, meaning like.
Colloid then means glue-like, A Suspension is a heterogeneous mixture in which the solute
particles do not dissolved but remain suspended through out
the bulk of the medium. Particles of a suspension are visible to
the naked eye.
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Comparison of the Properties of Solutions,

Preparation of Colloidal System Colloidal System and Suspensions
• Dispersion Method Properties Solutions Colloidal systems suspension

– Large particles are broken into particles of

Particle size <1mμ 1mμ to 0.1 μ > 0.1μ
colloidal size.
• Grinding, stirring, whipping and beating Homogeneity homogeneous Near to heterogeneous
homogeneous

• Condensation Method Visibility invisible ultramicroscopic Microscopic

– Molecules, ions or atoms are made to cluster

Optical prop. transparent Tyndall effect Opaque
together to particles of the desired size.

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 Cont…
Properties Solutions Colloidal systems suspension

motion Molecular Brownian slow Brownian

movement movement movement and
gravitational
Osmotic High Low none
pressure
Permeability Will pass Will through Will not pass
and filterability through filters but not through
memebranes through membranes
and filters membranes and filters

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Classes of Colloids Colloidal Systems

• Both the suspended, or dispersed phase and Types Dispersed Dispersion Examples
Phase Medium
the dispersion medium may be solid, liquid, or Foam gas liquid Whipped cream, beer
gaseous, although the dispersal of one gas in froth, soap suds, beaten
egg whites
another is not known as colloidal dispersion. Sponge, rubber,
Solid foam gas solid
styrofoam,
marshmallows
Liquid liquid gas Fog, clouds, aerosol
aerosol spray

Solid solid gas Smokes, dust

aerosol
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Types Dispersed Dispersion Examples

Phase Medium • An aerosol is a colloidal dispersion of either a solid
colloid (such as cigarette smoke) or a liquid (such as
Emulsion liquid liquid Milk, mayonnaise, insecticide spray) in a gas, the air.
facial cream, • An emulsion is a colloidal dispersion of liquid particles in
asphalt another liquid; mayonnaise, for example, is a suspension
Solid liquid solid Cheese, butter of tiny globules of oil in water.
emulsion • A sol is a colloidal suspension of solid particles in a liquid;
paints, for example, are a suspension of minute solid
Sols and solid liquid Paints, starch in pigment particles in an oily vehicle.
gels water, puddings, • A gel is a sol in which the suspended particles are
fruit jellies, ink organized in a loose, but definite three-dimensional
Solid sol solid solid Colored gems arrangement, giving some rigidity and elasticity to the
alloys, porcelain mixture, as in jellies.

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 • Lyophilic colloids (hydrophilic)
– Also called emulsoids
• Colloids can also be classified based on the – This is a colloidal system where the dispersed
affinity of the dispersed phase and he phase has an affinity towards the dispersion
dispersion medium medium.
– Lyophobic • Examples: hemoglobin, gelatin, jellies
– lyophilic (sols and
gels)

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• Sol differ from gel

• Lyophobic Colloids (hydrophobic)
– Sol has the property of liquid
– Also called suspensoids
– Gel has the property of solid – Characterized by lack of affinity between the
dispersed phase and the dispersion medium.
• The formation of gel is accompanied by the taking – Also termed as emulsions
up of water or some other solvent. On standing, • Prepared by shaking two immiscible liquids. |
gels often contract squeezing out a dilute solution. Agitation breaks one liquid into droplets of
Such process is called syneresis. Gel also swell colloidal size, which then dispersed throughout the
when placed in water and the process is other liquid. The mixture do not form a stable
imbibition. colloidal system, thus, an emulsifying agent or
emulsifier is required.

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Emulsifiers Hydrophilic and Hydrophobic Colloids

• Hydrophilic colloids like water and are water soluble.
• also called protective colloids – Examples include many biological proteins like blood
plasma.
• They coat the particles of the dispersed phase • Hydrophobic colloids dislike water and are water
to prevent their coagulation into separate insoluble.
phase. – Hydrophobic colloids require emulsifying agents to
stabilize in water.
• They must have an affinity to both the • Homogenized milk is a hydrophobic colloid.
dispersed phase and dispersion medium – Milk is an emulsion of butterfat and protein particles
dispersed in water
– The protein casein is the emulsifying agent.

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 Hydrophilic and Hydrophobic Colloids
• Mayonnaise is also a hydrophobic colloid.
– Mayonnaise is vegetable oil and eggs in a colloidal
suspension with water.
– The protein lecithin from egg yolk is the emulsifying
agent.
• Soaps and detergents are excellent emulsifying
agents.
– Soaps are the Na or K salts of long chain fatty acids.
– Sodium stearate is an example of a typical soap.

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Hydrophilic and Hydrophobic Colloids Hydrophilic and Hydrophobic Colloids

• Sodium stearate

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Hydrophilic and Hydrophobic Colloids The Tyndall Effect

• Linear alkylbenzenesulfonates are good • Colloids scatter light
detergents. when it is shined upon
them.
– Why they appear
cloudy or opaque.
– This is also why we use
low beams on cars
when driving in fog.

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 The Adsorption Phenomenon
• Colloids have very large surface areas.
– They interact strongly with substances near their
surfaces.
– Adsorption, the taking up by the surface of a solid
or liquid (adsorbent) of the atoms, ions, or
molecules of a gas or other liquid (adsorbate).
Light shining through a solution and a colloidal mixture. The Porous or finely divided solids can hold more
size of colloidal particles makes the mixture, which is neither a adsorbate because of the relatively large surface
solution nor a suspension, appear cloudy. area exposed.
– Example: activated carbon

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Viscosity Brownian Movement

• Brownian Motion, constant erratic
• Defined as the matter’s ability to resist flow. movement of tiny particles
• It is affected by particle size, shape and forces suspended in a fluid or gas. The
phenomenon was discovered in
of attraction. 1827 by the British botanist Robert
– The bigger the particle size, the higher the Brown. The inherent motion of the
viscosity molecules of the fluid causes the
– The greater is the forces of attraction, the higher molecules to strike the suspended
particles at random. The impact
the viscosity.
makes the particles move in zigzag
movement.

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Osmotic pressure of cells can be measured by placing

them in series of solutions of different osmotic
pressure.
• Hypertonic
• Osmosis – A condition where the osmotic pressure of the
– The net movement of solvent molecules through a solution is greater than that of the cell.
semi-permeable membrane from a pure solvent or – The water will pass from the cell to the solution,
dilute solution to a more concentrated solution. causing shrinkage of the cell called plasmolysis
• Hypotonic
• Osmotic Pressure – A condition where the osmotic pressure of the
– The pressure that must be applied to a solution to solution is less than that of the cell.
prevent an increase in volume when the solution is – The water will then pass from the solution to the
separated from water by a semi-permeable cell which will cause swelling called plasmoptysis
membrane. • Isotonic
– A condition where the osmotic pressure of the
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solution and the cell are equal. 30
• The Donnan equilibrium is a name for the behavior of charged
parerticles near a semi-permeable membrane to sometimes fail to
distribute evenly across the two sides of the membrane. The usual
Group Question
cause is the presence of a different charged substance that is
unable to pass through the membrane and thus creates an uneven • Medicines that are injected into humans,
electrical charge.
intravenous fluids and/or shots, must be at
the same concentration as the existing
chemical compounds in blood. Why must
medicines be formulated in this fashion?
Explain.

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