Heteroflocculation of equal numbers of different sized colloidal particles in binary dispersions under enhanced gravity forces

In addition to the effects of electrolyte concentration, pH value and various size ratios, the contribution of enhanced gravity forces on the heteroflocculation behavior of a binary mixture of equal numbers of different sized colloidal particles was investigated in the present paper. Based on the turbidity measurements results and by applying the Rayleigh–Gans–Debye theory of light scattering, the stability ratios for the binary mixtures are determined. With the aid of the stability diagram and the DLVO theory, the latexes flocculation behavior observed were analyzed. It was found that the latex dispersions become unstable with either the increase of ionic strength, the gravity forces, or the decrease in pH value. Also, the stability ratio of the binary dispersions decreases when the size ratio of two different latexes was reduced.