• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.647-659
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• 2008

Colloids are a heterogeneous system in which particles of a few nanometers to hundreds micrometers in size are finely dispersed in liquid medium, but show homogeneous properties in macroscopic scale. They have attracted much attention not only as model systems of natural atomic and molecular self-assembled structures but also as novel structural materials of practical applications in a wide range of areas. In particular, recent advances in colloidal science have focused on nano-bio materials and devices which are essential for drug discovery and delivery, diagnostics and biomedical applications. In this review, first we introduce nano-bio colloidal systems and surface modification of colloidal particles which creates various functional groups. Then, various methods of fabrication of colloidal particles using holographic lithography, microfluidics and virus templates are discussed in detail. Finally, various applications of colloids in metal inks, three-dimensional photonic crystals and two-dimensional nanopatterns are also reviewed as representative potential applications.