Colloidal Silver | Silver Colloids

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PCS7A

Colloidal Stability

  • Particles in the dispersion may adhere together and form aggregates of increasing size which may settle out due to gravity
  • An initially formed aggregate is called a FLOC and its formation FLOCCULATION – this process is reversible (DEFLOCCULATION)
  • If the aggregate changes to a much denser form it is said to undergo COAGULATION – this process is irreversible
  • In the 1940s Derjaguin, Verway, Landau, and Overbeek developed a theory that dealt with colloidal stability (DVLO) 

Colloidal Stability Diagram
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