ON THE FLOCCULATION THEORY - USE OF SEMIDILUTE POLYMER-SOLUTIONS

The interaction between drops of semi-dilute polymer solutions and suspensions are theoretically considered. Equations describing the changes in time of the droplet sizes, suspensions swelled in liquid phase and energy of interaction between droplets and particles of solid phase of suspensions are derived. The approaches to the description of the suspension flocculations using equations derived are suggested. The regularities of the flocculation of suspensions observed experimentally (existence of the optimum contact time, optimum concentration of the flocculant solution, flocculations at the same charge signs of polymer and particles of solid phase of suspensions, deflocculation) are described correctly when droplet-liquid phase and droplet-particle interfaces are taken into consideration.