HYBRID COLLOIDS
Recently, the scope of using colloids as model systems has become significantly wider, ambitiously aiming at approaching nature’s complexity. The main key to enable this progress lies in the capability of breaking the isotropy of the interactions by introducing directionality. Examples used in our lab are colloidal molecules, patchy colloids, and oculi particles.
SEM picture of a gold coated patchy colloid
Fluorescence microscopy image of oculi particles
Schematic of an experimental method to produce colloidal molecules.
These hybrid colloids can be then driven out of equilibrium by magnetic or electric fields...
Colloidal molecule rotated by an external magnetic filed at increasing frequency
Active colloidal rotor.
Active circulating colloidal molecules.