Colloid and Surface Chemistry

Colloid and surface chemistry explores the behaviour of materials when one phase is dispersed within another or in contact at an interface. Colloids consist of particles roughly 1 nm to 1 µm in size suspended in gases, liquids or solids, while surface chemistry examines adsorption, reactions and transport at solid–liquid, liquid–liquid and solid–gas boundaries. These fields hinge on the balance of long-range van der Waals attraction, short-range repulsion and electrostatic forces that govern stability, self-assembly and reactive processes. Advances in microscopy, scattering and spectroscopy, alongside theoretical modelling, have clarified how interfacial tension, electrical double layers and surface functionalisation control phenomena from emulsion stability and catalysis to nanoparticle aggregation. This knowledge underpins innovations in water purification, energy conversion, carbon capture and nano-engineered materials with tailored porous architectures and responsive surfaces.

Research from Nature Portfolio

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Research from all publishers

In situ studies of magnesium-oxide nanocubes exposed to ultra-thin water films demonstrate that as few as three monolayers of adsorbed water trigger nucleation-limited growth of brucite nanosheets. Nanoscale confinement and microporosity sustain GPa-level crystallisation pressures, offering new insight into mineral-film transformations relevant to weathering and moisture-resistant materials design.

Infrared spectroscopic analysis of γ-alumina pre-adsorbed with ethanol and ammonia reveals that both molecules enhance surface basicity via distinct pathways. Ethoxy formation at Al–OH centres increases the electron density on neighbouring oxygens, promoting monodentate and bidentate carbonate binding, while ammonia transfers electrons to three-coordinated aluminium sites, yielding polydentate carbonate species—findings that inform catalyst development for CO₂ capture and conversion.

Combined experimental and quantum-chemical studies on CaO thin films map the early stages of CO₂ uptake. At low coverage, CO₂ binds to low-coordinated step sites as monodentate carbonates, then populates terrace sites at higher exposures. Coverage-dependent adsorption energies and island-forming mechanisms provide a framework for understanding carbonate formation on alkaline-earth oxide surfaces under ambient conditions.

Colloid and Surface Chemistry publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in colloid and surface chemistry across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Colloid: A system in which particles of 1 nm–1 µm are dispersed in a continuous phase, exhibiting unique stability and light-scattering behaviour.

Adsorption: Accumulation of molecules at a surface or interface via physical or chemical interactions.

Physisorption: Adsorption driven by weak van der Waals forces without strong bond formation.

Chemisorption: Adsorption involving the formation of chemical bonds between adsorbate and surface atoms.

Interfacial tension: Energy per unit area at the boundary between two immiscible phases.

Electrical double layer: Distribution of surface charge and counterions near a charged interface, mediating electrostatic interactions.

Zeta potential: Electrical potential at the shear plane of a colloidal particle, indicating its electrostatic stability.

DLVO theory: A model describing colloidal stability as the sum of van der Waals attraction and electrical double-layer repulsion.

References

1. Basic Sites on Alumina with Preadsorbed Ethanol and Ammonia—An IR Study. Molecules (2024).
2. MgO nanocube hydroxylation by nanometric water films. Nanoscale (2023).
3. Initial stages of CO 2 adsorption on CaO: a combined experimental and computational study. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics (2017).