Dispersion and Flocculation of α-Al2O3 in Aqueous Solution Containing Hydrophilic Polymers

The effect of polyacrylic acid on the dispersion and flocculation behavior of Al2O3 in aqueous solution was investigated. The stability of Al203 suspension was evaluated from the measurements of average particle size, turbidity, sedimentation volume and viscosity. The dispersion and flocculation behavior of Al2O3 was explained by measuring the adsorption amount of the polyacrylic \nacid and the zeta potential of Al203. When the adsorption of polyacrylic acid on Al203 is saturated, the dispersion of Al203 is enhanced. It is evident that the conformation of the polymer is a controlling factor in determining the stability of Al203 particles. The addition of polyacrylic acid with a molecular weight of 6000 gives the best dispersion state among the various polyacrylic acids of different molecular weights used in our experiments.