Colloids are present in a large variety of biological, chemical and physical systems. In the last few years, they have been used as model systems which allow understanding fundamental processes in atomic systems or elucidating problems in soft condensed matter The success of colloids to be used as well-controlled model systems resides in the fact that the relevant interactions between colloids are easily and independently tuneable and the colloid position is accessible by means of optical techniques, thus allowing a direct comparison with simulations and theoretical calculations. In this contribution, we briefly show the versatility of colloids as model systems to, on one hand, understand the effective interactions that emerge in soft matter physics when unobservable components of the system are integrated out or contracted of the description and, on the other hand, to quantify the effects of soft and periodic external fields on the structural and dynamics properties of many-body systems. EVTRODUCTIONColloids are mesoscopic objects with a size between IQnm to a few jim which possess, either natural or artificial, different shapes (spherical and non-spherical) and typically are dispersed in an aqueous environment [1]. Besides their industrial, chemical and biological relevance, colloids permit to highlight the basic principles and mechanisms in many-body systems, i.e., complex fluids, with competing attractive and repulsive interactions. By adjusting the type of interaction between coUoids, a rich variety of ergodic and non-ergodic transitions can be observed. Moreover, colloidal dispersions under external fields (or substrates) have illustrated the importance of the ordering and dynamics of atomic systems on surfaces such as atomic monolayers [2]. From experimental point of view, particle-particle and particle-substrate can be both realized in a large variety and modified continuously [3]. These extraordinary experimental features together with the striking advantage that inherent properties can be studied simultaneously with complementary methods, such as theory and computer simulations, make to coUoids to be considered as exceUent model systems for soft condensed matterIn this paper, we briefly discuss the effective interactions that emerge in soft matter physics when unobservable components of the system are integrated out or contracted of the description. Also, we study the effects of soft and periodic external fields on the stmcture and dynamics of many-body systems. In particular, in section 11 we investigate the depletion forces between two large hard-colloids immersed in a bath of small hard-colloids [4]; we basically emphasize the role of bridge functions on the depletion CP979,
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.