Orthokinetic heteroaggregation with nanoparticles: Effect of particle size ratio on aggregate properties

Abstract

Three different aggregation methods were employed in this work: the addition of HMW polymer, the addition of silica particles (4.3, 105 and 285 nm diameter) and adjustment of suspension pH to 9. Stable alumina dispersions (310 nm) were flocculated using these three methods and each method was found to aggregate the alumina causing equilibrium between formation and destruction of aggregates. The equilibrium size of the aggregates (from largest to smallest) was found to follow the order: HMW Polymer, MP3040, STZL, STXS (285 nm, 105 nm, 4.3 nm) and pH 9. The use of light scattering simulations showed the effect of a second particle species (silica) on the scattering intensity versus wave vector..