Diverse Applications of Surface and Colloid Chemistry in Science and Industry - Surface and Colloid Chemistry: Principles and Applications - page 213

10 Diverse Applications

of Surface and Colloid
Chemistry in Science
and Industry

10.1 IntroductIon
In this chapter, some important systems that are complex, as compared to more
fundamental examples described previously, will be explained. This is useful
since scientific developments change as more and more theoretical knowledge is
obtained. The examples discussed in this chapter are designed to indicate how sur-
face and colloid chemistry have helped in the development of new applications in
recent years.
It is evident that there will appear many more new areas where the application
of surface and chemistry principles will be the determining factor in development.
Some examples of new research are given in this chapter as an illustration of the
depth of this subject.
For example, the capillary forces mentioned in Chapter 1 become extensively
involved in the movement of water through a sponge. Sponges consist of many inter-
connected capillaries. An oil reservoir can be considered a simplified model of a
sponge. If the reservoir is finely pored and sponge-like, then oil recovery is very poor
(less than 30%), while if the pores are of large diameter, then recovery will be very
high (over 60%).
Additionally, there are also examples where surface and colloid chemical principles
are implemented in complex systems. This area of applications is expanding as a more
fundamental understanding of the surface and colloid chemistry becomes evident.
Nanotechnology and surface science : In recent decades, for example, the applica-
tion of nanoscience and nanotechnology has developed since the molecular studies
of surfaces at nanoscale have reached a much higher level. Nanotechnology is now a
popular topic in materials science, and other areas are also emerging. It has deserved
this popularity because of its interdisciplinary character, calling for expertise in
physics, chemistry, biology, and medicine. Many materials properties are studied
in detail.
The common factor in nanotechnology is the lateral dimension, being in the
nanometer (10 −9 = m, that is 1 billionth of a meter or 1/1000th of the thickness of a
paper sheet!) range of the structures studied. Atomic or molecular distances, sizes of

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