Effect of pH and Hydration on the Normal and Lateral Interaction Forces Between Alumina Surfaces

Abstract

Normal and lateral interaction forces between alumina surfaces were measured using Atomic Force Microscopy-Colloid Probe Method at different pH. The normal force curves exhibit a well-defined repulsive barrier and an attractive minimum at acidic pH and the DLVO theory shows excellent agreement with the data. The normal forces are always repulsive at basic pH and the theory fails to represent the measurements. Lateral forces are almost an order of magnitude smaller in the basic solutions. These differences, which have important implications in the study of stability and rheology, are attributed to the hydration of the alumina surface at basic pH. © 2013 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.