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A subdivision of physical chemistry comprising the study of phenomena characteristic of matter when one or more of its dimensions lie in the range between 1 nanometre and 1 micrometre. The science includes not only finely divided particles but also films, fibers, foams, pores, and surface irregularities. It is the dimension that is critical, rather than the nature of the material. Colloidal particles may be gaseous, liquid, or solid, and occur in various types of suspensions (imprecisely called solutions), e.g., solid/gas (aerosol), solid/solid, liquid/liquid emulsion), gas/liquid (foam). In this size range, the surface area of the particle is so much greater that its volume that unusual phenomena occur; for example, the particles do not settle out of the suspension by gravity, and are small enough to pass through filter membranes. Macromolecules (proteins and other high polymers) are at the lower limit of this range.  2, fiche 1, Anglais, - colloid%20chemistry

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Though the term is often used synonymously with surface chemistry, in a strict sense it is limited to the size range mentioned in at least one dimension, whereas surface chemistry is not.  2, fiche 1, Anglais, - colloid%20chemistry

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