Dispersions of small particulates in liquids are examples of colloidal matter. Colloids are very important and ubiquitous around us, including many food items (milk, cream), paints and even biological fluids (such as blood). This Academy Project will improve the current understanding of the complicated physical and chemical behaviours of oil-based colloids in electric fields. We will achieve this by developing and using a new, powerful, scientific methodology for studying electric phenomena in oil-based colloids by combining electric measurements with direct imaging with advanced optical microscopy techniques. Ultimately, the results obtained in this project will significantly improve our knowledge of the poorly understood electric behaviors of nonpolar colloidal dispersions. This will enable rational engineering of better oil-based colloidal materials in the future for the use of our societies.

2021

2025