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Objectives

• After completion of study of this chapter you will be


able to:
• Explain the difference between true solution, colloidal
solution and suspension
• Identify phases of colloidal solution
• Classify colloidal solutions
• Describe methods of preparation of colloids
• Explain some properties of colloidal solutions
• Recognize the difference between gel and emulsion
• Cite examples of the application of colloids in daily life

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Colloid Chemistry
• Definition
• Components of colloids
• Classification of colloids (based on phase)
• Classification of colloids (based on the force of
attraction between dispersed phase and
dispersion medium)
• Properties of lyophobic and lyophilic colloids

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Definition
• Colloidal solutions seems to be homogeneous
to the naked eye but appears to be
heterogeneous when observed through an
ultra-microscope.
• Intermediate solution between true solution
and colloidal solution

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The particle (orange) has a surface with
negative charge.
In the water near the particle (purple) there is
first a layer of mostly plus ions.
Diagram showing the ionic concentration After the shell of mostly plus ions is a shell of
and potential difference as a function of mostly minus ions.
distance from the charged surface of a As distance from the particle increases, the
particle suspended in a dispersion
mix of plus and minus ions reaches the
medium.
equality of the bulk fluid.
Structure of colloid particle The outer circle is about where the ions are
equally distributed.
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Comparison of properties of true solution,
colloidal solution and suspension
Sl. No. Name of True solution Colloidal solution Suspension
property
1 Particle size < 1 nm 1nm to 100 nm > 100 nm

2 Visibility Particles are invisible to the naked Particles are invisible to the naked Particles are visible to
eye and even in microscope eye but their scattering effect can be the naked eye.
observed with the help of a
microscope.
3 Settling Particles do not settle down on Particles do not settle down on their Particles settle down on
keeping. own but can be made to settle down their own under gravity.
by centrifugation
4 Filterability Pass through ordinary filter paper Pass through ordinary filter paper but Do not pass through
and also through animal membrane. not through animal membrane. filter paper or animal
membrane.
5 Separation The solute and solvent cannot be The solute and The solute and solvent
separated by ordinary filtration or solvent cannot be can be separated by
by ultra filtration. separated ordinary filtration.
by ordinary filtration
but can be separated
by ultra-filtration.
4 Diffusion Diffuse quickly Diffuse slowly Do not diffuse

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Phases of colloidal solution
• Colloids solutions are heterogenous in nature
and always consist of at least two phases :
• Dispersed Phase: It is the substance present in
small proportion and consists of particles of
colloids size (1 to 100 nm).
• Dispersion Medium: It is the medium in which
the colloids particles are dispersed.

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Phase based classification of colloidal solutions
Sl. No Disperse Dispersion Name of Example
phase medium colloid
2 Gas Liquid Foam Froth, whipped cream, shaving
cream, soda-water
3 Gas Solid Solid Foam Foam rubber, pumice stone,
froth cork
4 Liquid Gas Aerosol Mist, fog, clouds
5 Liquid Liquid Emulsion Milk, Cream, paint, hair cream
6 Liquid Solid Gel Jellies, Cheese, curd, butter, opal
(H2O in SiO2) pearl (water in
CaCO3)
7 Solid Gas Aerosol of Smoke, dust in air, soot particle
solids/smoke in air
8 Solid Liquid Sol muddy water, gold sol, starch sol,
arsenious sulphide sol, paint, ink
9 Solid Solid Solid solution Gemstones, alloy, ruby glass
(gold dispersed in glass)
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Classification of colloids based on preparation or
based on the force of attraction between the
disperse phase and the dispersion medium
• Colloids are classified on the basis of the process of
preparation of colloids and on the attraction of solvent (dispersion
medium), i.e., dispersion of solids in liquids can be roughly
divided into two categories (if we consider the attraction of solids
in solvents)
1. Lyophobic colloids or Lyophobic sols (solvent hating colloids)
2. Lyophilic colloids or Lyophilic sols (solvent loving colloids)

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Lyophobic colloids
• The word Lyophobic means solvent hating.
• Lyophobic colloidal solutions are those in which the dispersed phase has
little affinity/no affinity for the dispersion medium.
• Metals like Au, Ag and their hydroxides or sulphides etc., when simply
mixed with dispersion medium, do not pass directly into colloidal state.
• These sols have to be prepared by special methods.
• These sols can be readily precipitated and once precipitated they have
little tendency to go back into the colloidal state.
• Thus these sols are irreversible in nature.
• Also they are not very stable and require a stabilizing agent to remain in
the colloidal form.
• In case water is used as dispersion medium it is called as hydrophobic sol.
• For example, metal sulfides, silver halides, egg, silicic acid, ferric hydroxide
etc., form lyophobic colloids with water medium.

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Lyophilic colloids
• The word Lyophilic means solvent lover.
• Lyophilic colloidal solutions are those in which the dispersed phase have a great
affinity (or love) for the dispersion medium.
• Substances like gum, gelatine, starch etc., when mixed with suitable dispersion
medium, directly pass into colloidal state and form colloidal solution.
• Therefore, such solutions are easily formed simply by bringing dispersed phase and
dispersion medium in direct contact with each other.
• However, these colloidal solutions have an important property i.e. they are
reversible in nature.
• This means that once lyophilic colloidal solution has been formed then dispersed
phase and dispersion medium can’t be separated easily.
• Once separated these can again be formed by remixing the two phases.
• These sols are quite stable. If water is used as dispersion medium then it is termed
as hydrophilic colloid
• Examples: protein, starch, glue, gum, soap, gelatin etc. form lyophilic colloids with
water.

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Characteristics or distinctions between
lyophobic and lyophilic sols
Sl No. Lyophobic (Suspensoid) Lyophillic (Emulsoid)
1. These are generally unstable, get easily coagulated on adding Very stable, not easily coagulated by electrolytes.
electrolytes.

2. Irreversible in character. Reversible in character.


3. Prepared by indirect mixing. Usually prepared by simple solution method.
4. Viscosity of colloidal dispersion is same as that of the solvent. These are highly viscous system.

5. These are generally inorganic materials, i.e., metal sulphide and Mostly organic materials, e.g., starch, protein, gum etc.
oxide sol.

6. Carry electric charge and stability depends on Zeta potential. Carry little or no charge.

7. The colloidal particles are visible with microscope or ultra The colloidal particles are not visible.
microscope.

8. The physical property is followed by the laws of mixture Physical properties like density, refractive index do not follow
the laws of mixture.

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Associated colloids
A micelle (plural micelles or
• These are substances which behave as
micellae, respectively) is an
normal electrolyte at low concentration but aggregate (or supramolecular
get associated at higher concentration to assembly) of surfactant
form micelle and behave as colloidal phospholipid molecules
solution. dispersed in a liquid, forming a
• Soap is an example. colloidal suspension (also known
as associated colloidal system).
• Soap is sodium salt of long chain fatty acid
RCOONa.
• When put in water, soap forms RCOO— and
Na+ .
• These RCOO— ions associate themselves
around dirt particles as shown in figure
forming a micelle. Fig: Aggregation of
RCOO– ions to form a
micelle.

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Preparation of colloids
• There are two ways in which colloidal size particles can
be obtained.
1. By building up of particles from single molecules.
Methods under this category are known as
condensation method or aggregation method.
2. By disintegrating down the bulk material to the colloidal
particles. Methods under this category are known as
dispersion method.
3. In this method, the bulk material is broken down to the
dimension of the colloidal particles.

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Methods of Preparation of Colloids
Dispersion method
• Electrical Dispersion/Bredig’s arc method
• Mechanical dispersion method
• Chemical dispersion method/peptization
Condensation methods
• Reduction method
• Oxidation method
• Double decomposition method

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Electrical Dispersion/Bredig’s arc
method
This method is commonly employed for obtaining the
dispersion of noble metals. e.g., preparation of sols of gold,
platinum, silver etc.
Work function
• This process consists in striking an electric arc between
the ends of two metallic rods immersed in water as shown
in Fig. At high temperature the arc causes the metal to
vaporize and the vapors are immediately condensed by Figure: Preparation of colloidal
water to form colloidal particles. Traces of sodium solution by Bredig’s Arc Method

hydroxide or potassium carbonate are necessary for the


stability of colloidal dispersions. The vessel is cooled in ice
bath. This method was used by Bredig and also named as
Bredig’s arc method after his name.

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Mechanical Dispersion Method
• The dispersion of bulk material can be achieved by grinding
the material in a colloid mill as shown in Figure (Right).
• A slurry containing coarse suspension of the material is
sheared between the two plates (separation is adjusted
according to the particle size desired) rotating at high speed
(7,000 revolution met minute) in the opposite direction.
• The sols produced by this method contain particles of
varying dimensions.
• Finer dispersion can be obtained by incorporating an inert
diluent during grinding.
• This reduces the chances of the particles to reunite. Figure: Mechanical
• The inert diluent if required may be removed during Dispersion Method
purification. Glucose acts as diluent while preparing a sol
of sulfur. Common diluents include anhydrous
• A diluent (also referred to as a filler, dilutant or thinner) is a diluting agent. Certain fluids are too lactose, lactose monohydrate, and sugar
viscous to be pumped easily or too dense to flow from one particular point to the other. alcohols such as sorbitol, xylitol and
• An example of the dispersion method is the production of mannitol. Diluents provide better tablet
Indian ink. Here carbon powder, gum and water are ground properties such as improved cohesion or
in a special mill which reduces the particles to colloidal to promote flow.
size.

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Chemical Method: Peptization
• Peptization is the process of converting a freshly prepared precipitate into colloidal
form by the addition of a suitable electrolyte.
• The electrolyte is called peptizing agent.
• For example, when ferric chloride is added to a precipitate of ferric hydroxide,
ferric hydroxide gets converted into reddish brown colored colloidal solution.
• This is due to preferential adsorption of cations of the electrolyte by the precipitate.
When FeCl3 is added to Fe(OH)3, Fe3+ ions from FeCl3 are adsorbed by Fe(OH)3
particles. Thus the Fe(OH)3 particles acquire +ve charge and they start repelling
each other forming a colloidal solution.

Figure 3: Repulsive forces between colloid


particles

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Peptization Method
• It is the opposition of coagulation. This method consists of passing the precipitated
material into a colloidal solution by adding a suitable electrolyte. It involves the
adsorption of the suitable ions from the electrolyte on the fine particles of the
precipitate, thereby making repulsive forces so generated to disperse the precipitated
material back into the solution. This is called peptization method and the added
electrolyte is called the peptizing agent. The process, peptization involves shaking a
small amount of a precipitate with a few drops of an electrolyte such as HCl.
• An example of this is the formation of aluminium hydroxide colloid used in
some antacid drinks.
• Precipitated Fe(OH)3 can be made to go into the solution by adding a small amount
of FeCl3 solution to it. This is due to the adsorption of the ferric ions over Fe(OH)3
particles, which causes the material to disperse in to the solution due to the
repulsive forces as shown in Fig. 3

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Preparation of colloids by
condensation method
• A supersaturated solution of the disperse phase is
prepared in the dispersion method by carefully
controlling the temperature and keeping the
concentration of the disperse phase to minimum.
• Reduction method
• Oxidation method
• Double decomposition method

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Reduction method for preparation of
colloids
• Sols of noble metals are usually prepared by
the reduction of a suitable compound of the
metal.
• Various reducing agents are used for this
purpose: HCHO, H2, CO, NH2-NH2, NH2OH,
tannin etc.
• The reducing agents are non-electrolyte and
they do not produce any electrolyte after
reduction.

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Examples of reduction method
• A silver sol may be prepared by passing H2 gas
through an aqueous suspension of Ag2O.
• Ag2O + H2 (gas) = Ag (s) + H2O (5-50oC and 1000-
10,000 rpm) Ag sol is used in the determination of mg of ascorbic acid in ceevit or nutrivit
• A gold sol may be prepared by the reduction of
an aqueous solution of AuCl3 containing a little
amount of K2CO3 by HCHO, NH2-NH2, H2O2 etc.
• 2AuCl3 + 3HCHO + 3H2O = 2Au(s) + 3HCOOH +
6HCl
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Oxidation method for preparation of
colloids
• Sols of sulfur or selenium in water may be prepared by
oxidation of hydrogen sulfide or selenide with sulfur
dioxide or air.
• Example: Sulphur sol is obtained by bubbling H2S gas
through the solution of an oxidizing agent like
• SO2, HNO3 or Br2 water, etc. according to the following
equation :
• Br2 + H2S → S + 2HBr
• 2 HNO3 + H2S → 2H2O + 2NO2 + S
• Sols of these type occurs both in industrial desulfurization
plants where sulfide is oxidized to elemental sulfur as well
as in cultures of certain oxidizing sulfur bacteria.S sulfur sol is hydrophobic
8
Sulfur compounds with
hydrophilic end group like
sulfonate or functionalized
organic group produce
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hydrophilic sol
Double decomposition method for
preparation of colloids
• This type of reaction is generally employed for the
preparation of sols of insoluble salts.
• Example: Silver halide sols may be prepared by a
slow addition and constant stirring of either very
dilute solution of silver nitrate to an aqueous
solution of very dilute solution of potassium halide
and vise-versa. In this case, the solution becomes
cloudy but no precipitate forms.
• Ag+ + Cl- = AgCl (s). Silver sol may be either positively charged
Or negatively charged depending on
the relative amount of reagents

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Properties of colloids
• Optical Property Tyndall effect
• Kinetic Property Brownian movement
• Electrical property Electrophoresis
Electro-osmosis

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Brownian movement
• Robert Brown, a Botanist in 1827, observed that pollen grains
suspended in water, execute a ceaseless random motion and traveled
a zig-zag path. Later on, it has been found that all colloidal particles
also execute random zig-zag motion when seen through
ultramicroscope. Such random zig-zag motion of colloidal particles
was termed as Brownian movement after his name. Brownian motion
is the zig-zag movement of colloidal particles in continuous random
manner as shown in Figure

• To account for this Brownian movement, Wiener suggested that the


Brownian motion arises because of the impact of the molecules of the
dispersion medium on the particles of dispersed phase. The small
colloidal particles are knocked about by imbalanced collision with
the molecules of the dispersion medium, i.e., the forces are unequal
in different directions. Hence it causes the particles to move in a zig-
zag way. Brownian movement decreases with the increase in particle
size, but it is not observed in case of coarse suspension. The colloids
are stabilized by this Brownian movement.
• Temperature effect: Brownian movement increases with increase in
temperature.
Size of water molecule is about 0.275 nm
Size of colloids ranges between 1-100 nm

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Tyndall effect as optical property
Tyndall in 1869, observed that if a strong
beam of light is passed through a colloidal
solution then the path of light is
illuminated. This phenomenon is called
Tyndall Effect. This phenomenon is due to
scattering of light by colloidal particles (fig.
right). The same effect is noticed when a
beam of light enters a dark room through a
slit and becomes visible. This happens due
to the scattering of light by particles of dust
in the air.

Tyndall effect arises because the colloidal


systems consist of discrete particles of
dimensions comparable to the wavelength of
the radiation in the ultraviolet and visible
regions (200 - 200 nm + 4000-7000 Å)
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Tyndall effect

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Example of Tyndall Effect

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The paths of searchlight beams are made visible when light is scattered by
colloidal-size particles in the air (fog, smoke, etc.). (credit: “Bahman”/Wikimedia Commons)

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Electrical property of colloids
• The particles of a colloidal solution are electrically charged
and carry the same type of charge, either negative or positive.
• The dispersion medium has an equal and opposite charge.
• The colloidal particles therefore repel each other and do not
cluster together to settle down.
• For example, arsenious sulphide sol, gold sol, silver sol, etc.
contain negatively charged colloidal particles because during
the formation of colloids especially by Bredig’s arc method,
colloidal particles capture electrons and get charged, whereas
ferric hydroxide, aluminium hydroxide etc. contain positively
charged colloidal particles, because they adsorb suitable
positive ions from the dispersion medium.

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Electrophoresis
• When a hydrophobic sol is placed in an electric
field, the particles move in one direction or the
other on the basis of their charge.
• This shows that the colloidal particles are
electrically charged with respect to the dispersion
medium.
• This motion of colloidal particles under the action
of an electric field is called electrophoresis.
• The charge bearing the colloidal particles is
determined considering the movement of the
colloidal particles towards the electrodes.
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Electrophoresis

• The movement of colloidal particles under the


action of an electric field towards the cathode is
called cataphoresis, while the movement of
colloidal particles towards the anode is called
anaphoresis.
• Cataphoresis indicates that the colloids are
positively charged, and anaphoresis indicates the
particles are negatively charged.
• Application: electrophoresis is used for the
separation of a definite constituent from different
biological mixtures.
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Acacia
SRL

Emulsion
• An emulsion is a mixture of two or more liquids that are normally
immiscible to each other but using emulsifying agents one liquid is
dispersed into other liquid as droplets, or even ultramicroscopic size.
• In most emulsion, one of the liquids is water and the other liquid is oil or
fat.
• The term oil or fat represent the organic substances insoluble in water.
• The type of emulsion that results on agitation of two liquids depends on
the relative proportion of the two in the mixture.
• In order to stabilize an emulsion a third substance known as an
emulsifying agent is added.
• The emulsifying agent (emulsifier) is a surface-active substance to make
an emulsion, which is both fat and water-soluble. It helps the dispersed
phase to uniformly distributed in the continuous phase or dispersion
medium.
• Natural Emulsifying Agents: Acacia, Tragacanth, etc.
• Synthetic Emulsifying Agents: Polysorbate 20, Polysorbate 80, Sodium
lauryl sulfate(SLS), Sorbitan laurate, Sorbitan stearate, etc.

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Classification of emulsions

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Differences between O/W and W/O
type emulsions

Oil in water emulsion (O/W) Water in oil emulsion (W/O)


Oil is the dispersed phase and Water is the dispersed phase
water is the continuous phase and oil is the continuous phase
or dispersion medium or dispersion medium
Less viscous More viscous
Easily washable from the skin Not easily washable from the
by water skin by water
Example- Vanishing cream Example-Cold cream

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Preparation of emulsion
• Methods involved:
• 1. Trituration Method:
• (i) Dry Gum Method
• (ii) Wet Gum Method
• 2. Bottle or Forbes Bottle Method
• 3. Auxiliary Method
• 4. Nascent Method or In Situ Soup Method
• 5. Beaker Method

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Applications of emulsions
• Pharmaceutical Application: Due to the high bioavailability
and absorption rate, it is used in the pharmaceutical
industry. Mostly it used for topical preparations like creams,
lotions, etc. Vitamins are parenteral emulsion.
• Cosmetic industry: There is a huge application of emulsion
in the cosmetic industry. Example: creams, lotions, hair
conditioners, etc.
• Food industry: Food products like milk, peanut butter, ice
cream, etc. are some examples of emulsion.
• Paint industry: Examples like emulsion paints and inks.
• Fire extinguisher: Thixotropic high internal phase ratio
emulsion is non-flammable. So used as a fire extinguisher.

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Cleaning action of soap and detergent

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Gel as colloid
• A gel is a colloidal system in which the dispersed phase
is liquid and the dispersion medium is solid.
• Example: when warm sol of gelatin is cooled, it sets to
a semi-solid mass which is gel.
• Other examples include Jellies, Jams, Curd, Butter,
Shoe polish etc.
• A gel is a soft material that can be cut easily with a
knife.
• Removal of the liquid phase leads to the xerogel or
aerogel which depends upon the drying condition of
the gel.
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Gelation
• When a colloidal solution is coagulated, a
precipitate is formed which may or may not be
gelatinous.
• Under certain conditions, it may be possible to
obtain the dispersed phase as more or less
rigid mass enclosing within it all of the liquid.
• The product formed is called gel and the
process is known as gelation

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Characteristics of gel
• It is an immobile semi-solid.
• It has an honey comb-like structure.
• Many gels have the tendency to absorb liquid
and swell.
• Unlike emulsion, no such agent is required for
its formation.
• They do not show Tyndall effect, Brownian
effect and Electrophoresis.
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Types of gels
• Elastic gel: These are gels which when heated carefully,
form a dry mass and if this dry mass is placed in
contact with liquid, absorb liquid, swell up and regain
their original form.
• Examples include agar-agar, starch, gelatin, fruit jams
etc.
• Non-elastic gel: These are gels which when heated,
loose liquid and gets converted into dry mass but can’t
absorb liquid and regain their original form when
placed in contact with the liquid.
• Examples include Silica gel, Solid alcohol, Hydroxides of
Fe, Al, Cr etc.

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Characteristics of elastic and non-elastic gels
Elastic gel Non-elastic gel
• Reversible • Irreversible
• Lyophilic • Lyophobic
• Show imbibition • Don’t show imbibition
• Organic in nature • Naturally inorganic
Fig. Food products prepared by using gelatin

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Properties of gel
Swelling or imbibition Example of imbibition
• The tendency of a gel to take up a
large quantity of water or liquid
and go on increasing in volume is
called swelling of gel or smiling of
gel or imbibition of gel.
• Only elastic gels show this
property.
• The degree of swelling depends
on the number of linkages
between individual molecules of
gelling agent and on the strength
of these linkages.
• The presence of ions influence
the degree of swelling. • Polymers also undergo swelling in
organic solvent

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Properties of gel
Syneresis Example of syneresis
• The decrease in volume of a
gel due to loss of liquid on
standing is called syneresis
or weeping of gel.
• Many inorganic gels on
standing, undergo shrinkage
which is accompanied by
exudation of liquid.
• This process is the reverse
of imbibition.

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Properties of gel
Thixotropy Example of thixotropy
• Some sols turn into a sol on
shaking and reset to the gel
on standing.
• This reversible sol-gel
transformation is called
thixotropy.
• Iron oxide and silver oxide
gels exhibit this property. • Manuka Honey is an
example of thixotropic gel

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Uses of gel
➢ Alcohol jellied with calcium acetate is used as
solid fuel for military fields.
➢ Silica gel is most valuable adsorbing and drying
agent which is used in industry and laboratory.
➢ Various types of gels are used in chromatographic
separation method as adsorbent, like gel
permeation chromatography, gel filtration
chromatography.
➢ Many food items are used as gels, viz, curd, fruit
jams, butter, cheese, jellies, shoe polish etc.
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Process of formation of curd from milk
• Write the process of making curd from milk. Explain the changes that take place in the milk.

• Hint: Curd is prepared from milk by following a few simple steps. It can be prepared at home easily. The process by which
milk is converted into curd is known as fermentation.

• Curd is generally prepared from the milk. The process of making curd from milk is actually simple. It requires the following
steps:
• * First, the milk is heated to boil for a few minutes. In this process, the extra water present in the milk gets evaporated and
the milk gets thickened a bit.
• * Then, the milk is allowed to cool to the room temperature.
• * Then one spoon of curd is added to the milk and mixed very well. This curd acts as a precursor.
• * Then, it is kept overnight so that the entire milk is converted into curd.
• Now, a very important chemical change occurs during this conversion process. This is an irreversible chemical change
because once the milk is converted into curd, the curd cannot be transformed back into milk.
• The process by which the milk is converted into curd is called fermentation.
• * Curd contains bacteria called ‘lactobacillus’. When one spoon of curd is added to the milk (the precursor curd), the
lactobacillus multiplies itself inside the milk.
• * Now, milk has two major types of proteins: whey protein and casein protein. When cheese is prepared from milk, the
whey protein is found in the water part and the casein protein is found in the cheese part. The casein protein is the globular
form of protein of milk.
• * During the process of fermentation, a chemical reaction occurs between the lactic acid bacteria and the casein protein of
the milk.
• * At first, the lactobacillus bacteria utilize their enzymes to produce ATP from lactose. During this process, lactic acid is
generated as a by-product.
• * Now, the lactic acid reacts with the casein protein of milk and denatures the protein. As a result, the tertiary and
quaternary structures of the globular protein are broken and the globular protein is converted into a fibrous protein (simple
chain protein).
• * This fibrous protein starts providing a thick texture to the milk and coagulation of the protein occurs as well. As a result,
5/20/2022 Colloid presentation 1 49
the milk is converted into curd.

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