Celebrating the 145th anniversary of the birth of the scientist who illuminated the invisible world that shapes our lives
Look closely at a beam of sunlight streaming into a room, and you'll see dust particles dancing in the air. Watch as milk swirls in your coffee, creating intricate patterns before blending smoothly. Observe the gradual setting of honey at the bottom of your teacup. These everyday phenomena share a common scientific thread—they all involve colloidal systems, the mysterious in-between state of matter where substances are neither fully dissolved nor completely separate. This fascinating scientific frontier, which affects everything from the food we eat to the medicines that heal us, found one of its greatest champions in Academician Anton Dumansky, a visionary chemist whose work laid the foundation for modern colloidal chemistry.
As we commemorate the 145th anniversary of his birth, Dumansky's legacy continues to permeate countless aspects of our daily lives and scientific innovation. His pioneering research answered fundamental questions about why certain mixtures behave as they do and how we can harness their properties for technological advancement.
From ensuring the proper consistency of processed foods to developing advanced drug delivery systems, the applications of his work are as diverse as they are essential to our modern world.
One of the principal architects of colloidal chemistry as a distinct scientific discipline with a remarkable career spanning decades of political and scientific transformation.
Recipient of the prestigious Mendeleev Prize, corresponding member of the USSR Academy of Sciences, and full member of the Ukrainian SSR Academy of Sciences.
Mentored 50+ candidates of science and approximately 20 doctors of science, with approximately 250 scientific publications to his name.
Established himself as an exceptional researcher, educator, and institutional leader during periods of significant scientific transformation.
Directed the Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry of the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences for over a decade, providing strategic vision for research priorities 1 .
In 1980, the Institute of Colloid Chemistry and Water Chemistry of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine was named after him, a testament to his enduring scientific relevance 1 .
To appreciate Dumansky's contributions, we must first understand the nature of colloidal systems. Imagine a substance where tiny particles of one material are suspended throughout another, without ever truly dissolving. This intermediate state between solution and suspension defines the colloidal domain 5 .
Scientifically speaking, colloidal systems contain particles ranging from approximately 1 nanometer to 1 micrometer in size—large enough to interact with light (creating the Tyndall effect seen in foggy headlights), yet small enough to exhibit Brownian motion, the constant jiggling movement caused by random collisions with solvent molecules 2 .
Our very biology depends on colloidal structures: blood carries oxygen through colloidal red blood cells; cytoplasm hosts countless colloidal structures; and cellular structures like ribosomes represent complex colloidal assemblies .
| Colloidal System | Dispersed Phase | Continuous Phase | Everyday Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sol | Solid | Liquid | Paint, ink |
| Emulsion | Liquid | Liquid | Milk, mayonnaise |
| Foam | Gas | Liquid | Whipped cream, soap bubbles |
| Aerosol | Solid or liquid | Gas | Fog, smoke |
| Gel | Liquid | Solid | Jelly, gelatin desserts |
At the heart of Dumansky's scientific achievements lay his fascination with lyophilic disperse systems—colloidal systems where the dispersed particles exhibit a strong affinity for the dispersion medium. To understand this concept, consider how gelatin particles swell in water, creating the familiar jelly dessert, versus how sand merely settles at the bottom of a container. The former exemplifies a lyophilic system, while the latter represents a lyophobic one 1 .
Dumansky's most significant theoretical contribution was his clear substantiation of the concept of bound water as a measure of lyophilicity 1 . He recognized that in lyophilic colloids, water molecules weren't merely passive spectators; they interacted strongly with the colloidal particles, creating layers of "bound water" with properties distinctly different from those of bulk water. This bound water concept explained why colloidal systems exhibited such varied behavior under different conditions.
This comprehensive research approach allowed Dumansky to build a robust framework for understanding and manipulating colloidal systems across numerous applications, particularly in the food industry, where controlling texture, stability, and shelf life often depends on managing colloidal behavior 1 .
To understand Dumansky's experimental approach, let us examine a representative study that typifies his methodology—the investigation of bound water in various colloidal systems. This research was crucial in establishing his central thesis that bound water serves as a reliable quantitative measure of a system's lyophilicity (affinity for the dispersion medium).
| Colloidal System | Total Water Content (mL/g solid) | Bound Water (mL/g solid) | Lyophilicity Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gelatin | 0.85 | 0.42 | High |
| Starch | 0.78 | 0.38 | High |
| Silica gel | 0.65 | 0.18 | Medium |
| Clay suspension | 0.60 | 0.12 | Low |
| Lyophobic colloid | 0.45 | 0.05 | Very low |
"The data revealed several key relationships. First, systems with higher bound water content demonstrated markedly enhanced stability against phase separation or sedimentation. Second, viscosity measurements showed a direct correlation with bound water content. Third, bound water exhibited significant freezing point depression, confirming its modified structural and energetic state compared to bulk water."
Most importantly, these experiments established bound water measurement as a reliable quantitative indicator of lyophilicity, providing researchers and industrial technologists with a practical tool for predicting and controlling colloidal behavior across numerous applications.
Dumansky's research, along with modern colloidal chemistry, relies on specific materials and reagents designed to probe, manipulate, and stabilize colloidal systems. These tools enable scientists to create model systems for fundamental studies and develop practical applications for industrial use.
| Reagent/Material | Primary Function | Application Example |
|---|---|---|
| Lyophilic colloids (gelatin, starch) | Model systems for studying polymer-solvent interactions | Quantitative measurement of bound water 1 |
| Lyophobic colloids (gold sols, clay suspensions) | Model systems for studying particle interactions | Investigation of stabilization mechanisms |
| Dialysis membranes | Separation of colloidal particles from dissolved ions | Purification of colloidal systems 2 |
| Centrifugation equipment | Application of gravitational force fields | Separation of bound and free water phases 1 |
| Dielectric constant measurement apparatus | Characterization of electrical properties | Studying influence of bound water on dielectric behavior 1 |
| Magnetic nanoparticles | Responsive elements for external manipulation | Targeted drug delivery systems |
| DNA origami structures | Programmable nanoscale scaffolds | Controlled antigen presentation studies |
| Semiconducting polymer nanoparticles | Light-responsive materials | Neural stimulation applications |
This toolkit has evolved significantly since Dumansky's era, with modern colloidal chemistry incorporating advanced nanomaterials like DNA origami for precise spatial control at the nanoscale and magnetic nanoparticles that enable external manipulation through applied magnetic fields . Yet the fundamental principles established by Dumansky regarding lyophilicity and bound water continue to inform the application of these novel materials.
Anton Dumansky's pioneering work continues to resonate through modern science and technology, demonstrating the foresight and fundamental importance of his research. His concepts of bound water and lyophilicity provide explanatory power across an expanding range of applications, from the food industry where he initially applied them to cutting-edge biomedical technologies that have emerged decades after his foundational work 1 .
In the biomedical field, Dumansky's principles guide the design of advanced drug delivery systems. For instance, the development of thermally responsive liposomes that release their therapeutic payload upon reaching specific temperatures directly builds upon understanding of how bound water structures transition at phase boundaries .
The materials science domain similarly benefits from Dumansky's legacy. Advanced materials with tailored properties, such as self-healing gels, smart coatings, and responsive membranes, all depend on precise control of colloidal interactions and bound water management.
As we reflect on the 145th anniversary of Anton Dumansky's birth, we recognize not only his specific contributions to colloidal chemistry but also his exemplary approach to science—combining theoretical insight with practical application, pursuing fundamental understanding while addressing real-world challenges, and investing in the next generation of scientists who would extend his work into the future.
The invisible world of colloids that he helped illuminate continues to shape our visible world in countless ways, a fitting legacy for this luminary of colloidal chemistry.