Colloidal stability — investigations by single-particle scattering photometer

Abstract

The single-particle lightscattering technique proves to be suitable for determination of particle size distribution with very high resolution. In particular, first steps of a coagulation process can be determined very sensitively. Rapid coagulation led to good correspondence with theory in the case of spherical oxide particles. For quasispherical particles (with edges and corners) satisfactory experimental results have been obtained by extension of the theory. In all the experiments a decay of aggregates could be proved. However, theoretical determined velocity constants at slow coagulation could not be confirmed by experiments. Coagulation takes place in a wider electrolyte region as expected.