Surface potential study of ceria/poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) aqueous solution interface

Abstract

The interfacial properties of the system cerium(IV) oxide/poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) (NaPSS) aqueous solution were studied in a broad pH region by means of inner surface potential, zeta potential and adsorption measurements. Surface potential data were obtained using a single crystal electrode, while zeta potential and adsorption data were obtained using synthetized CeO2 nanoparticles. In order to examine the adsorption of NaPSS on cerium(IV) oxide in detail, surface and electrokinetic potentials of ceria particles were measured in the absence and in the presence of NaPSS.The results of surface potential measurements showed that negatively charged NaPSS molecules exhibit high adsorption affinity towards the CeO2 surface. Titration with NaPSS in the acidic region, where the ceria surface is originally positively charged, suggested that adsorption of negatively charged NaPSS molecules compensates positive charge at the surface and adsorption proceeds until the reversal of surface charge produces a critical value of the potential affecting the state of adsorbed NaPSS molecules. Adsorption of NaPSS on cerium(IV) oxide in the examined pH range was additionally confirmed by zeta potential and adsorption measurements in sodium chloride aqueous solution. From the measured pH dependence of the electrokinetic potential of CeO2 nanoparticles, isoelectric point was determined to be pHiep ≈ 5.4, while the electrokinetic potential in the presence of NaPSS was found to be negative in the whole investigated pH region. Finally, adsorption measurements were carried out which enabled the determination of the maximum surface concentration of the adsorbed polyelectrolyte as Γmax ≈ 1 μmol m−2.