Colloids measurement

See J. E. Kiefer, V. A. Parsegian, and G. H. Weiss, "Model for van der Waals attraction between spherical particles with nonuniform adsorbed polymer," J. Colloid Interface Sci., 51, 543-6 (1975), for numerical examples. See D. Prieve "Measurement of colloidal forces with TIRM," Adv. Colloid Interface Sci., 82, 93-125 (1999), for a modem review of colloid measurements. 

Multimedia pressure filters are designed to reduce turbidity and colloids (measured as SDI) in water. These filters can remove particles down to about 10 microns in size. If a coagulant is added to the filter influent stream, reduction of particles down to 1-2 microns can sometimes be accomplished. Typical removal efficiency for multimedia pressure filters is about 50% of particles in the 10-15 micron size range. Influent turbidity for RO pretreatment is limited to about 10 NTU. At turbidity greater than 10 NTU, these filters may backwash too frequently to provide consistent effluent quality at reasonable run lengths. 

The Stokes radius Rh (Rh = kaT/binj DO of the bare colloid measured by photon spectroscopy at several pH values is reported in Table I. 

There are a number of complications in the experimental measurement of the electrophoretic mobility of colloidal particles and its interpretation see Section V-6F. TTie experiment itself may involve a moving boundary type of apparatus, direct microscopic observation of the velocity of a particle in an applied field (the zeta-meter), or measurement of the conductivity of a colloidal suspension. 

Rowell and co-workers [62-64] have developed an electrophoretic fingerprint to uniquely characterize the properties of charged colloidal particles. They present contour diagrams of the electrophoretic mobility as a function of the suspension pH and specific conductance, pX. These fingerprints illustrate anomalies and specific characteristics of the charged colloidal surface. A more sophisticated electroacoustic measurement provides the particle size distribution and potential in a polydisperse suspension. Not limited to dilute suspensions, in this experiment, one characterizes the sonic waves generated by the motion of particles in an alternating electric field. O Brien and co-workers have an excellent review of this technique [65]. 

The forces between colloidal surfaces in solution can be measured by a number of clever techniques. One important method involves x-ray diffraction from an ordered... 

Often the van der Waals attraction is balanced by electric double-layer repulsion. An important example occurs in the flocculation of aqueous colloids. A suspension of charged particles experiences both the double-layer repulsion and dispersion attraction, and the balance between these determines the ease and hence the rate with which particles aggregate. Verwey and Overbeek [44, 45] considered the case of two colloidal spheres and calculated the net potential energy versus distance curves of the type illustrated in Fig. VI-5 for the case of 0 = 25.6 mV (i.e., 0 = k.T/e at 25°C). At low ionic strength, as measured by K (see Section V-2), the double-layer repulsion is overwhelming except at very small separations, but as k is increased, a net attraction at all distances... 

A. W. Neumann and R. J. Good, in Techniques of Measuring Contact Angles, Surface and Colloid Science, Vol. II, Experimental Methods, R. J. Good and R. R. Stromberg, ed.. Plenum, New York, 1979. 

The polymer concentration profile has been measured by small-angle neutron scattering from polymers adsorbed onto colloidal particles [70,71] or porous media [72] and from flat surfaces with neutron reflectivity [73] and optical reflectometry [74]. The fraction of segments bound to the solid surface is nicely revealed in NMR studies [75], infrared spectroscopy [76], and electron spin resonance [77]. An example of the concentration profile obtained by inverting neutron scattering measurements appears in Fig. XI-7, showing a typical surface volume fraction of 0.25 and layer thickness of 10-15 nm. The profile decays rapidly and monotonically but does not exhibit power-law scaling [70]. 

Surface active electrolytes produce charged micelles whose effective charge can be measured by electrophoretic mobility [117,156]. The net charge is lower than the degree of aggregation, however, since some of the counterions remain associated with the micelle, presumably as part of a Stem layer (see Section V-3) [157]. Combination of self-diffusion with electrophoretic mobility measurements indicates that a typical micelle of a univalent surfactant contains about 1(X) monomer units and carries a net charge of 50-70. Additional colloidal characterization techniques are applicable to micelles such as ultrafiltration [158]. 

Other properties of association colloids that have been studied include calorimetric measurements of the heat of micelle formation (about 6 kcal/mol for a nonionic species, see Ref. 188) and the effect of high pressure (which decreases the aggregation number [189], but may raise the CMC [190]). Fast relaxation methods (rapid flow mixing, pressure-jump, temperature-jump) tend to reveal two relaxation times t and f2, the interpretation of which has been subject to much disagreement—see Ref. 191. A fast process of fi - 1 msec may represent the rate of addition to or dissociation from a micelle of individual monomer units, and a slow process of ti < 100 msec may represent the rate of total dissociation of a micelle (192 see also Refs. 193-195). 

Craig V S J 1997 An historical review of surface force measurement techniques Colloids Surf. A Physicochem. Eng. Aspects 129-30 75... 

Ducker W A, Senden T J and Pashley R M 1991 Direct measurement of colloidal forces using an atomic force microscope Nature 353 239... 

Li Y Q, Tao N J, Pan J, Garcia A A and Lindsay S M 1993 Direct measurement of interaction forces between colloidal particles using the scanning force microscope Langmuir 9 637... 

Blanton S A ef a/1997 Dielectric dispersion measurements of CdSe nanocrystals colloids observations of a permanent dipole moment Phys. Rev. Lett. 79 865... 

Photomultipliers are used to measure the intensity of the scattered light. The output is compared to that of a second photocell located in the light trap which measures the intensity of the incident beam. In this way the ratio [J q is measured directly with built-in compensation for any variations in the source. When filters are used for measuring depolarization, their effect on the sensitivity of the photomultiplier and its output must also be considered. Instrument calibration can be accomplished using well-characterized polymer solutions, dispersions of colloidal silica, or opalescent glass as standards. 

Samples that contain suspended matter are among the most difficult types from which to obtain accurate pH readings because of the so-called suspension effect, ie, the suspended particles produce abnormal Hquid-junction potentials at the reference electrode (16). This effect is especially noticeable with soil slurries, pastes, and other types of colloidal suspensions. In the case of a slurry that separates into two layers, pH differences of several units may result, depending on the placement of the electrodes in the layers. Internal consistency is achieved by pH measurement using carefully prescribed measurement protocols, as has been used in the determination of soil pH (17). 

Because they are weak acids or bases, the iadicators may affect the pH of the sample, especially ia the case of a poorly buffered solution. Variations in the ionic strength or solvent composition, or both, also can produce large uncertainties in pH measurements, presumably caused by changes in the equihbria of the indicator species. Specific chemical reactions also may occur between solutes in the sample and the indicator species to produce appreciable pH errors. Examples of such interferences include binding of the indicator forms by proteins and colloidal substances and direct reaction with sample components, eg, oxidising agents and heavy-metal ions. 

The well-known DLVO theory of coUoid stabiUty (10) attributes the state of flocculation to the balance between the van der Waals attractive forces and the repulsive electric double-layer forces at the Hquid—soHd interface. The potential at the double layer, called the zeta potential, is measured indirectly by electrophoretic mobiUty or streaming potential. The bridging flocculation by which polymer molecules are adsorbed on more than one particle results from charge effects, van der Waals forces, or hydrogen bonding (see Colloids). 

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