ABSTRACT
Computer simulations are powerful tools for investigating statistical systems. Colloidal suspensions are soft matter systems exhibiting a broad range of fascinating physical phenomena. This chapter introduces the physics of colloidal suspensions, and presents a tutorial dealing with the most basic computer simulation technique. It provides examples of simulations with colloidal particles from the recent literature, ranging from homogeneous and inhomogeneous liquids to crystals, the phenomena specific to two-dimensional systems, the physics of colloidal liquid crystals and anisotropic fluids, dynamical properties, shear, rheology, and aggregation phenomena. Colloidal suspensions are systems of small mesoscopic solid particles suspended in an atomic liquid. Colloidal suspensions are a wide class of soft matter ranging from biological liquids such as blood and milk to technologically relevant materials such as paint and lubricating material and to chemically tailored suspensions. The chapter reviews the basics of computer simulations with colloidal particles and with the physics of colloids.
