Colloidal gels are complex systems made up of microscopic particles dispersed in a liquid, ultimately producing a semi-solid network. These materials have unique and advantageous properties that can be tuned using external forces, which have been the focus of various physics studies.
Researchers at University of Copenhagen in Denmark and the UGC-DAE Consortium for Scientific Research in India recently ran simulations and performed analyses aimed at understanding how the injection of active particles, such as swimming bacteria, would influence colloidal gels.
Their paper, published in Physical Review Letters, shows that active particles can influence the structure of 3D colloidal gels, kneading them into porous and denser structures.
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