Colloidal solution

A colloidal solution is a heterogeneous system in which a definite substance is distributed

in the form of very small particles as dispersed phase in another substance called the
dispersion medium.

Dispersed phase + Dispersed medium = Dispersed system ( colloidal solution )

Example: glue, ink, smoke etc.

Dispersed Phase:- it is the substance distributed in the dispersion medium in colloidal

particles

Dispersion Medium:-the medium in which the substance is dispersed in the form of

colloidal particles is known as Dispersion medium
There are three types of solutions:-

True solutions: - the solution in which the size of solute particles is

less than 10-9 m or 1 nm (< 10o).

Example : solution of sugar in water.

Colloidal solution:– the solution in which the size of solute particles is in

between 10-9 to 10-6 m are called colloids.

Example. Water in milk.

Suspensions:- Solution is which size of solute particles is more than 10-

6 m.

Example. Mud in water.

Classification of Colloids:-

Colloids are classified in three different ways as Follows:-

1. Based on physical state of dispersed phase and dispersion medium:-Depending upon

weather the dispersed phase and dispersion medium are solids, liquids are gases eight
types of colloidal systems are possible.

2. Based on nature of interaction between dispersed phase and dispersion medium:-

Lyophilic Colloids:-Substances like gum, gelatin, starch, rubber, which when mixed with a
suitable liquid as the dispersion medium directly form the colloidal sol are called lyophilic
and the sols thus are obtained are called lyophilic sols.

Ex. Muddy water.

Lyophobic Colloids:-Substances like metals, their sulphides, when simply mixed with the
dispersion medium do not form colloidal sol. Which can be only prepared by special
methods only. Such substances are called Lyophobic Sols.

3. Based on the type of particles of dispersed Phase:-

Multimolecular Colloids:- When on dispersion of a substance in dispersion medium, a large

number of atoms or smaller. Molecules of substances aggregate together to form species
having size in colloidal range, the species thus formed are called Multimolecular Colloids.

Example– Gold sol, sulphur sol.

Macromolecular Colloids:-When certain substances having big size molecules called macro
molecules having large molecular masses are dissolved in a suitable liquid, they form a
solution in which the molecules of substances have size in colloidal range are called
macromolecule or Colloids

Example– Polyethene, nylon etc.

Associated colloids:-the substance which when dissolved in a medium at low concentrations

behave as higher concentration exhibited colloidal state properties due toformation of
aggregated particles are called associated colloids

The aggregated particles thus formed are called micelles.

Surface active agents:

Kraft’s temperature:- the formation of micelles takes place only above a particular
temperature is called as the kraft’s tempreture

Critical micellization concentration (CMC): It is the lowest conc. Of the surfactant at

which micelle formation takes place.
Mechanical or Disintegration Methods:-

1. Mechanical disintegration:-this integration is carried out in a colloid mill or ball mill

or ultrasonic disintegrator. A suspension of substance in water is introduced into
the mill. The size of the suspension particle is reduced to that of the colloidal size.

2. Electro disintegration [Bredig’s method]:- This method is applied for obtaining

colloidal solution of metals like, gold, silver and platinum. Anelectric are is struck
between two metallic electrodes suspended through water. The intence heat of are
convert the metals into particles of colloidal size.

3. Peptization:-this is a process of converting a fresh precipitate into collidol particles

by shaking it with the dispersion medium in the presence of small amount of some
suitable electrolyte. The electrolyte added is called the peptizing agent.

Example:- (i) A reddish brown coloured solution is obtained by adding small quantity
of Ferric chloride solution to freshely precipitated hydroxides.
Purification of colloidal solution:-

Purification:- the process of reducing the impurities of the electrolytes to the minimum
required level is known as purification of colloidal solution.

Dialysis:-The process of separting the particles of codloids from there those of

crystalloids by diffusion of the mixture though a parchment or an animal membrane is
called dialysis.

Process:- The apparatus used is called a dialyser. A cellophane sheet or parchment paper is
turned into a bug with a funnel tired in the mounth of the bay, for theaddition of impure
sol. The impure sol is filled into the bug which is then suspended into vessel containing
distilled water.

Electro dialysis:- In this method electric field is applied using the metal electrodes, and
the diffusion of the given mixture through using parchment or an animal membrane is
known as Electro dialysis.

Ultrafiltration:- First of all filter paper is treated with colodion or gelatin solution
followed by hardening by dipping into formaldehyde. The colloid in solution used is 4%
solution of nitrocellulose in a mixture of alcohol and ether. Due to this pore size of filter
paper is reduced. This filter paper so obtained is called a ultra filter paper and
purification by this called ultrafiltration.
Properties of colloidal
solutions:–

Stability:- Colloidal sols are quite stable. Only a few colloidal particles of comparatively
lower size may settle but very slowly.

Filterability:- Colloids may only be filtered using parchment membrane or ultra filter
paper.

Colligative properties:- The properties of a solution which depends upon the no. of moles
of solute particles present in the solution are called as colligative properties like osmotic
pressure, elevation in boiling point etc.

Mechanical Properties:-It does not depend upon the nature of the colloid but depends upon
the size of colloidal particles and viscosity of the sol.

Cause of Brownian moment:- reason is the molecules of dispersion medium due to their
kinetic motion strike against the colloidal particles from all sizes with different forces.

Optical properties [Tyndall effect]:- this effect may be defined as the scattering of light
by the colloidal particles present in a colloidal sol.

The illuminated path of beam is called Tyndall effect cone. The phenomena is observed
when a beam of light is projected in a cinema hall and it becomes visible due to scattering
by colloidal dust particles.

Tyndall effect is observed only when following properties are satisfied:-

The diameter of the dispersed particles is not much smaller as compared to wavelength of
light used.

There should be a large difference in refractive indices of dispersed phase and dispersion
medium
Electrical properties

Electric charge on colloidal particles:- the stability of colloidal solution is due to the fact
that the colloidal particles in the sol are electrically charged.

Colloidal particles either carries the +ve or –ve charge and the dispersion medium have an
equal and opposite charge.

Ex. Ferric hydroxide particles are +vely charged. Where as dispersion medium is –vely
charged.

Origin of electrical charge on colloidal particles:-

Frictional electrification:- By mutual rubbing of colloidal particles with molecules of

dispersion medium charge is developed.

Preferential adsorption of ions from solution:- an ionic colloid adsorbs ions common to its
own lattice during preparation of colloidal sol.

For ex- if colloidal sol of Ag I is prepared adding AgNO3 solution to KI, Ag+ aquires
positive and I aquires –ve charge.

Dissociation of molecules followed by aggregation of ions:-in case of soap the RCOO–

groups get dissociated from Na+ ions and have the tendency to aggregate into a cluster
carrying –ve charge.

Electro kinetic or Zeta Potential:- when one type of the ions of the electrolyte are
adsorbed on the surface of colloidal particles it forms a “Fixed layer”. It attracts the
opposite ions to form another layer called “diffused layer”.

The double layer of opposite charge thus formed is called Helmholtz electrical double
layer.

As a result, a difference of potential exists between the fixed layer and the diffused
layer. This potential difference is known as electro kinetic or zeta potential.
Electrophoresis or cataphoresis:- The movement of the colloidal particles under the
influence of an electric field is called the Electrophoresis or the cataphoresis.

Electro-osmosis:- it may be defined as a phenomenon in which the molecules of the

dispersion medium are allowed to move under influence of an electric field where as
colloidal particles are not allowed to move.

Coagulation or precipitation:-it is a process of aggregating together the colloidal particle

so as to change them into large sized particles which ultimately settles as a precipitate.

The coagulation is generally brought about by the addition of electrolytes.

The ion which is responsible for neutralization of charge on the colloidal particles is called
the coagulating ion or Flocculating ion.

Coagulation or Flocculation Value:-The minimum of an electrolyte ( in millimoles) that must

be added to one litre of a colloidal solution leads to bring about the complete coagulation is
called coagulation or Flocculation Value.

Hardy schulze law:-

The effective ions of the electrolyte in bringing about coagulation are those which carry
charge opposite to that of the colloidal particles. These ions are called coagulating ions.

Greater is the valency of the coagulating or the Flocculating ion, greater is its power to
bring about the coagulation.

Forex

Electrolyte NaCl KCl HCl MgCl2 BaCl2

Cation Na+ K+ H+ Mg2+ Ba+2

Coagulation value 52 4g.5 30.8 0.72 0.6g

Methods of Coagulation:-

By electrophoresis:- in electrophoresis, the particles of dispersed phase move towards

oppositely charged electrode and get neutralized.

By prolonged dialysis:-the stability of a colloidal sol is due to presence of a small amount of

the electrolyte on prolonged dialysis electrolyte is completely removed and colloidal sol is
get coagulated.

Another important methods of coagulation are, by heating or cooling, By mutual

precipitation etc.

Protective action of lyophilic colloids:-

Lyophilic sols like those of metals (Au, Ag etc) are unstable and are easily
precipitated by addition of electrolytes.

The lyophobic sols can be protected from coagulation by adding a small amount of
lyophilic sols this process is called as “protection” and lyophilic colloids are termed
as “protective colloids”.

Gold Number:-the minimum mass of protective colloid is the added to 10 ml of a

standard red gold sol (Containing 0.0053 to 0.0058) so that no coagulation of the
gold soltakes place is called the Gold Number

Emulsions:- An emulsion is a colloidal dispersion in which both the dispersed phase and the
dispersion medium are liquids.

Emulsifiers or emulsifyingagent:- The emulsion are generally prepared by shaking strongly

the mixture of two colloids these emulsions are generally unstable. The substance a thus
added to stabilize the emulsions are called emulsifiers or emulsifying agents.
Types of Emulsions:-

The emulsions can be classified in two types:-

Emulsion of oil in water(o/w):- the emulsion in which oil is the dispersed phase and water is
the dispersion medium.

Ex. Milk is an emulsion of liquid fat in water.

Emulsion of water oil(w/o):- the emulsion in which water is the dispersed phase and oil is
the dispersion medium.

Ex. Codliver oil is an emulsion of water in oil.

Demulsification:- the process of separation of constituent Liquids of an emulsion is called

as Demulsification.

They can be separated into their constituent particles by boiling, Freezing, centrifuging,
by adding large amounts of electrolytes etc.