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The controlled flocculation of particulate dispersions using small particles of opposite charge I. Sediment volumes and morphology

1980; Elsevier BV; Volume: 1; Issue: 3-4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/0166-6622(80)80018-7

1873-4340

Paul F. Luckham, B. Vincent, Connor Hart, Th. F. Tadros,

Water Quality Monitoring and Analysis

The flocculation of large negative polystyrene particles by small positive polystyrene particles, each having an adsorbed layer of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), has been investigated as a function of PVA molar mass and electrolyte (NaCl) concentration. The extent of flocculation was assessed from measurements of the sediment volume of the large particles as a function of concentration of added small particles. The flocculation was compared with the degrees of adsorption of the small particles on the large ones. A preliminary investigation of the morphology of the sediments produced has been carried out using scanning electron microscopy. Some studies have also been made of the effect of the mixing regime on the flocculation behaviour. The results have shown that flocculation by the addition of small particles of opposite charge to a dispersion has many features in common with flocculation by the addition of polyelectrolytes of opposite charge to the particles involved.