Colloids at Fluid Interfaces

Abstract

Over the last two decades, understanding of the attachment of colloids to fluid interfaces has attracted the interest of researchers from different fields. This is explained by considering the ubiquity of colloidal and interfacial systems in nature and technology. However, to date, the control and tuning of the assembly of colloids at fluid interfaces remain a challenge. This review discusses some of the most fundamental aspects governing the organization of colloidal objects at fluid interfaces, paying special attention to spherical particles. This requires a description of different physicochemical aspects, from the driving force involved in the assembly to its thermodynamic description, and from the interactions involved in the assembly to the dynamics and rheological behavior of particle-laden interfaces.