SURFACTANT DOSE OPTIMIZATION

Surfactants enhance aggregative stability of dispersions and emulsions. Optimization of the dose is critical because over-dosing leads to flocculation, whereas under-dosing does not achieve desirable result. Model DT-310 and/or Titration Option OP002 for other models have the capability of conducting a so-called “surfactant titration”. In this case we fill bottles connected to the burettes with a surfactant solution. Software protocol specifies the number of points and total amount of the injected surfactant

The slide below illustrates results of such a surfactant titration. In this particular case the surfactant was hexametaphosphate. Slurry was 40% kaolin in water.

You can see that Zeta potential reaches maximum absolute value at about 0.5% of hexametaphosphate to kaolin by weight. This is the optimum dose for stabilizing this slurry.