Zeta potential characterisation of colloidal particles in dispersion and of solid surfaces

Zeta potential measurements are essential in developing colloidal suspensions since they provide insight into the causes of particle aggregation. Measuring the zeta potential as a function of pH in aqueous suspensions or as a function of acid or base addition in organic solvents allows to determine the point-of-zero-charge of the suspended particles, and allows to tune the stability of the suspension. Moreover, surface charge is often a determining parameter in the deposition of coatings and in understanding their behavior as a response to a chemical stimulus. This application concerns a particle analyzer allowing determining the zeta potential of nano- and microparticles in dispersion as well as a solid surface analyzer for measuring the surface zeta potential of macroscopic solids. Research into the development of new ceramic materials, especially by ceramic additive manufacturing, as well as the study of complex surface phenomena will greatly benefit from this state-of-the-art equipment.

Keywords:zeta potential, colloidal stability, colloidal processing, streaming potential, surface charge, wettability

Disciplines:Ceramics, Powder and particle technology, Surface engineering, Biomaterials, Membrane technologies, Polymer composites