Colloids are everywhere that we look, so why is it that most people know so little about them, asks Mike Garvey
Colloids are everywhere that we look, so why is it that most people know so little about them, asks Mike Garvey
I was fortunate to be introduced to colloid science as an undergraduate in 1968 by two enthusiastic lecturers, Duncan Shaw and Alec Smith. Duncan Shaw had recently written the first undergraduate level introduction to the subject which, now in its fourth edition, remains a valuable stepping-stone for those entering the field. Although Michael Faraday, one of the founders of colloid science, had beaten us to it by more than a century, as students we saw for ourselves the fascination of gold sols, nanometre-sized particles of gold dispersed in water as a stable colloid with a red coloration which changes to blue on adding salt. Gold sols have currently gained renewed interest as a building block for nanotechnology.
After graduating, I began working for ICI, initially on chlorochemicals for printing inks, PVC and weedkillers, before transferring to agrochemicals, investigating the formulation of pesticides as solid-in-liquid dispersions or emulsions for crop spraying. After 10 years with ICI, I joined Unilever Research where I remained for 25 years, applying colloid science to such diverse subjects as effluent treatment, fabric washing tablets, pregnancy test kits, paper making and lubricants for coal mining.
Throughout my career what has been striking is the impact of colloid science in so many areas of industrial chemistry, evidenced by the strong colloid science base of companies such as BP, Shell, Unilever, ICI, Procter & Gamble, Kodak and many others. Yet despite its importance, it still surprises me that colloid science remains a subject that is glossed over in most chemistry degrees.
Answers & Comments
Answer:
Colloids are everywhere that we look, so why is it that most people know so little about them, asks Mike Garvey
Colloids are everywhere that we look, so why is it that most people know so little about them, asks Mike Garvey
I was fortunate to be introduced to colloid science as an undergraduate in 1968 by two enthusiastic lecturers, Duncan Shaw and Alec Smith. Duncan Shaw had recently written the first undergraduate level introduction to the subject which, now in its fourth edition, remains a valuable stepping-stone for those entering the field. Although Michael Faraday, one of the founders of colloid science, had beaten us to it by more than a century, as students we saw for ourselves the fascination of gold sols, nanometre-sized particles of gold dispersed in water as a stable colloid with a red coloration which changes to blue on adding salt. Gold sols have currently gained renewed interest as a building block for nanotechnology.
After graduating, I began working for ICI, initially on chlorochemicals for printing inks, PVC and weedkillers, before transferring to agrochemicals, investigating the formulation of pesticides as solid-in-liquid dispersions or emulsions for crop spraying. After 10 years with ICI, I joined Unilever Research where I remained for 25 years, applying colloid science to such diverse subjects as effluent treatment, fabric washing tablets, pregnancy test kits, paper making and lubricants for coal mining.
Throughout my career what has been striking is the impact of colloid science in so many areas of industrial chemistry, evidenced by the strong colloid science base of companies such as BP, Shell, Unilever, ICI, Procter & Gamble, Kodak and many others. Yet despite its importance, it still surprises me that colloid science remains a subject that is glossed over in most chemistry degrees.