Interfacial Aggregation of a Nonionic Surfactant: Effect on the Stability of Silica Suspensions

Abstract The adsorption of the nonionic surfactant TX100 in two silica suspensions (Ludox HS40 and Syton W30) has been studied with the aim of relating the structure of the adsorbed layer to the stability of the suspension. First, a thermodynamic study based on the determination of adsorption isotherms and displacement enthalpies as a function of pH and solid/liquid ratio was carried out and lead to the conclusion that such a surfactant forms micelle-like aggregates on the silica surface. Then, a stability study based on visual observation, turbidimetry, and particle size determination (by photon correlation spectroscopy) was performed in order to determine the TX100 concentration range in which flocculation occurs. Considering that the surface is covered with micelle-like aggregates in the flocculation range and that the ζ-potential (determined by microelectrophoresis) has varied only slightly at the onset of flocculation, it is concluded that the flocculation mechanism is a bridging of particles by surface micelles. This bridging of particles by aggregates similar in size and shape could be an explanation of the presence, in such systems, of optimum flocculation at half surface coverage.