Bijels (eBook)

Bicontinuous interfacially jammed emulsion gels, now commonly termed 'bijels' are a class of soft materials, in which interpenetrating, continuous domains of two immiscible fluids are maintained in a rigid arrangement by a jammed layer of colloidal particles at their interface. Such gels have unusual material properties that promise exciting applications across diverse fields from energy materials and catalysis, to food science. This is the first book on the subject and provides the reader with a fundamental introduction to the field.Edited by Paul Clegg, a recognised authority on bijels, the reader will learn about the bijel and its formation. Starting with three component systems, the reader will be introduced to systems using only two liquids and colloidal particles before moving onto more complex systems with additional components. These systems are looked at via both experimental and simulation studies, explaining phase separation kinetics, structure formation, properties and functionalisation. A closing section on bijel production using flow explores thin film and bulk structure formation relevant to larger scale materials design.Bringing together current understanding this book aims to bring the potential application of bijels to diverse materials challenges closer to fruition. This is a must-have resource for anyone working in soft matter and applied fields.Foreword by Michael E. Cates, Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge.