An introduction to the colloidal glass transition

TL;DR

This paper reviews the behavior of colloidal suspensions as model systems for studying the glass transition, highlighting key phenomena and open questions in the field.

Contribution

It provides an overview of colloidal glass transition phenomena and discusses unresolved issues, serving as an introductory perspective for researchers.

Findings

Colloids exhibit glassy behavior at high particle concentrations.

Colloidal systems serve as effective models for molecular glasses.

Open questions remain about the microscopic mechanisms of the glass transition.

Abstract

Colloids are suspensions of small solid particles in a liquid, and exhibit glassy behavior when the particle concentration is high. In these samples, the particles are roughly analogous to individual molecules in a traditional glass. This model system has been used to study the glass transition since the 1980's. In this Viewpoint we summarize some of the intriguing behaviors of the glass transition in colloids, and discuss open questions.