Exploring new frontiers of colloidal science: active colloids

活性胶体粒子是指能够在流体中自推进的微米/纳米粒子。它们的“游泳”能力使它们在新技术应用中变得有趣，从用于药物输送的货运颗粒到合成重现生物系统行为的模型悬浮液。它们也可能表现出类似于自然界常见的集体运动，从细菌群体中的成群现象到成群的鸟或鱼。

Active colloidal particles are micro/nano sized particles which are able to self-propel in fluids. Their ability to “swim” makes them interesting for new technological applications ranging from cargo particles for drug delivery to model suspensions to recreate synthetically the behaviour of biological systems. They may also display collective motion, similar to that commonly seen in nature, from swarming phenomena in bacterial colonies to flocks of birds or fish.