What happens during the compression of soft colloidal monolayers at liquid interfaces? We managed to monitor the microstructure of monolayers of core-shell microgels at air/water interfaces in situ for the first time.

Check out our most recent publication "Compression of colloidal monolayers at liquid interfaces: in situ vs. ex situ investigation" that appeared in Soft Matter. We introduce a combination of Langmuir trough compression of colloidal monolayers and simultaneous, continuous small-angle light scattering (LT-SALS). This powerful experimental technique gives direct access to the structure factor of the colloidal assembly.

This work is the result of a collaboration with the group of Ivo Buttinoni at HHU Düsseldorf.