Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME)
Department of Physical Chemistry and Materials Science
Centre for Colloid Chemistry
However colloids were mentioned as ‘a world of neglected dimensions’ a century ago, today’s classical branches of industry (e.g. food, pharmacy, pesticide, cosmetics) are inconceivable without them. The role of colloids is outstanding in nanotechnology, too. Colloid chemistry deals with fabrication of colloidal particles (microphases, macromolecules, micelles) and material ensembles having nanoscale discontinuities of size from 1 to 1000 nm and with the studies of their properties.
The task of our group is to acquaint students with basic colloid chemistry, with the most important colloidal systems and their properties and, finally, to enlighten the traditional and nanotechnological role of colloids. Studying phenomena taking place at nanostructured interfaces and production of nanostructured thin layers are the most important territories of our manifold research. Characterization of our thin layers for practical applications (water repellent, self-cleaning, antireflection, controlled drug release) is always a part of this activity.
Langmuir-Blodgett and sol-gel wet chemical procedures are preferred at building up our typically 30-300 nm thick coatings (on glass, quartz and silicon surfaces). Thickness and compactness of the thin films composed mainly of silica, zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are measured by UV-Vis spectroscopy and scanning angle reflectometry. Surface properties and morphology of the layers are characterized with aid of wetting (contact angle) measurement, atomic force and scanning electron microscopy.
