Study on dispersion behavior of submicron cerium oxide particles in concentrated suspensions by ultrasonic attenuation technique

Abstract

Concentrated suspensions were prepared from submicron cerium oxide particles, and particle size distribution (PSD) and zeta potential of the particles were researched by ultrasonic attenuation technology and electroacoustic theory. The influences of particle concentration, base solution and pH value on particle dispersion behavior in suspensions were analyzed. It was found that for suspensions with concentration from 10 wt% to 30 wt%, the ceria particles were dispersed most sufficiently in the suspensions with sodium hexametaphosphate (SHP), while for suspensions with concentration 40 wt%, the particles were dispersed most sufficiently in the suspensions with deionized water (DIW) only. On the other hand, the particles agglomerated most remarkably in all suspensions with sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), and they had the lowest value of zeta potential. It was deduced that higher zeta potential could be helpful for particle dispersion in these concentrated suspensions, while non-DLVO interaction and dispersing process might play important roles too.