Physical and Colloid Chemistry

The Laboratory

The Van 't Hoff Laboratory is part of the Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science and the department of Chemistry of the Utrecht University. The Debye Institute is a collaboration between groups of the department of Chemistry and the department of Physics and Astronomy.

Research Statement
The research theme of the Physical and Colloid Chemistry Group is the self - organization of colloids and nanoparticles in liquid media. In particular we are interested in the structure and formation dynamics of (liquid) crystals and random packings of colloidal spheres, rods, and plates. More recently we started working on dipolar magnetic structures, patchy colloids, solid-stabilized emulsions, inorganic macromolecules, and virus capsids. Our research can roughly be divided into three parts: 
1. development of new model systems (which includes chemical synthesis);
2. study of the structure and dynamics of dispersions of colloids or nanoparticles by scattering of X-rays, neutrons and light as well as analytical ultracentrifugation and optical and electron microscopy;
3. development of theoretical models. Throughout we demonstrate how to control colloidal interactions to manipulate the structure and properties of chemically complex systems, which has ramifications not only for fundamental science, but also for chemical technology.

Highlights 
An article about the internal structure of the casein micelles, an important component of milk delivering proteins, calcium and phosphorus, is recently published in Advances in Colloid and Interface Science. The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in USA, where part of the research is performed using small-angle neutron scattering, has published a highlight about this work (please see the ORNL web page for this PDF file). The research is performed by Kees de Kruif, Andrei Petukhov (van ’t Hoff laboratory), Volkert Urban (ORNL) and Thom Huppertz (NIZO).

Meetings

Friday Nano Seminar: Meetings are held on Fridays from 13.00 - 14.00
FCC Group Meetings: Meetings are held on Tuesdays from 9.30 - 10.30 am in Kruyt W728

For more information please check the meetings website.

Information for Employees

Employee information can also be found on FCCNet (local access only!).