MECHANISM OF LATEX COAGULATION BY CATIONIC POLYELECTROLYTES

In the flocculation of latices by cationic polyelectrolytes under conditions favoring the manifestation of a bridging mechanism of particle joining, the induction period preceding the second stage of flocculation is much shorter; this is related to hindrance of the formation of a saturated adsorption-hydrate layer on the surface of the primary aggregates. Under these conditions, the maximum initial rate of flocculation is reached at a value of the zeta-potential considerably different from zero.