Correlations between the maximum parameters of DLVO interaction energy curves and the electrolyte concentration

Issue title: II Congress of Theoretical and Computational Physical Chemistry, Choroni, Venezuela, 2008

Guest editors: H. Soscunxy, F. Ruettez and A. Sierraltaz

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Guaregua, J.A.^{a; *} | Squitieri, E.^b | Mujica, V.^b

Affiliations: [a] Universidad de Carabobo, Facultad de Ciencias y Tecnología, Dpto. de Química, Apartado 3366, Bárbula 2005 – Valencia, Venezuela | [b] Universidad Central de Venezuela, Facultad de Ciencias, Escuela de Química, Apartado 47102, Caracas 1020-A, Venezuela | [x] Centro Nacional de Tecnologia Quimica CNTQ, Complejo Tecnologico Simon Rodriguez CTSR, La Carlota, Caracas, Venezuela | [y] Departamento de Quimica, Facultad Experimental de Ciencias, La Universidad del Zulia LUZ, Maracaibo, Venezuela | [z] Centro de Quimica, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Cientificas IVIC, Caracas, Venezuela

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author. Tel./Fax: +58 241 868 82 29; E-mail: [email protected].

Abstract: In a previous work (J. Mol. Struct.: THEOCHEM, 769, 165 (2006)) we have addressed a detailed study of the set of parameters that must be used within the scope of DLVO theory for a calculation of stability ratios of colloidal particles through an approximate expression. The approximate form of the equation that defines of the stability ratio W, derived in the mentioned work above, requires as much of the knowledge of the maximum of interaction potential energy between particles, Vmax, and its position Hmax, as well as the absolute value of the second derivative of interaction potential energy with respect to position at Hmax, |V(Hmax)|. Since these maximum parameters come determined for a concentration defined of the electrolyte is possible to establish the dependence of those with such concentration by letting the fitting constants depend on superficial potential, Hamaker constant and size of the particles. In this work we presented correlations between the maximum parameters (Vmax and Hmax) and the univalente symmetrical electrolyte concentration for a system of two spherical colloidal particles with constant of Hamaker, superficial potential and size well-known. The curves of energy of interaction as a function of the distance of separation of particle surface were obtained for two models of DLVO potentials. For appropriate conditions, the reported correlations give equations that are independent of DLVO potential model and can be used to evaluate the approximated stability ratio for systems of identical particles (homocoagulation) as well as the particle systems with different superficial potentials (heterocoagulation). The approximate stability ratios calculated with these correlations can be determined with an error smaller than 5% compared to obtain from the DLVO potential curves.

Keywords: Maximum interaction potential energy, position of maximum, stability ratio, DLVO interaction potential, homocoagulation, heterocoagulation

DOI: 10.3233/JCM-2009-0300

Journal: Journal of Computational Methods in Sciences and Engineering, vol. 9, no. 4-6, pp. 241-256, 2009