“…The forces between charged surfaces, colloidal particles, dissolved ions, and organic molecules in ambient aqueous electrolyte are essential in diverse scientific disciplines, like colloid science, biophysics, (electro/photo)catalysis, and environmental geochemistry . They control colloidal stability, dynamics, self-assembly, − ion adsorption, friction, adhesion, and many other properties. For not too high salt concentrations, these forces are well described on the colloidal scale by the classical Derjaguin–Landau–Verwey–Overbeek (DLVO) theory of colloid science that combines electric double-layer (EDL) forces with a characteristic range set by the Debye screening length and van der Waals interaction. , Yet, it was already pointed out by Langmuir that this picture is incomplete and that the ultimate formation of contact between two solutes should be governed by short-range forces related to the molecular structure of the solvent, i.e., by hydration forces in the case of aqueous solutions. ,− …”