Salt induced polystyrene latex flocs investigated by neutron scattering

• Studies with a model system consisting of polystyrene latex particles showed that the protein from seeds of Moringa trees adsorbs to the surface and causes flocculation as unusually dense aggregates. In this study, electrolytes sodium chloride (NaCI), ferric chloride (FeCl3) and aluminium sulfate (Al-2(SO4)(3)) have been used to aggregate model polystyrene particles. The study augments previous work using neutron scattering on the flocculation of polystyrene latex with protein from seeds of Moringa trees that had indicated higher floc dimension, df, values as the concentration of particles increased. The measurements were made using ultra small-angle neutron scattering. Generally the fractal dimension, and thus the floc density, increased with particle concentration and salt concentration. Flocculation was apparent at much lower concentrations of FeCl3 and Al-2(SO4)(3) than of NaCI. The values of df were found not to simply scale with ionic strength for the three electrolytes studied with FeCl3 being the most effective flocculating agent.

Ämnesord

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Kemi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Chemical Sciences (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Aluminium sulfate

Critical coagulation concentration

Ferric chloride

Floc dimension

Flocs

Polystyrene latex

Ultra small-angle neutron scattering

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)