ABSTRACT
Solid-liquid systems with a high volume content of solids are classified as concentrated dispersions. They are very common in various applications (see Chapter 1). Many products based on solid-liquid dispersions belong to this class. An important characteristic property of concentrated dispersions is their stability against settling. In addition to this, concentrated dispersions should retain their properties over a long period of time. When the particle number concentration increases, the probability of interactive contact between the particles increases. In this situation the forces between the particles play an important role in determining the overall properties of the dispersion [1]. It is useful to discuss the various interactions that can occur between particles in terms of the energy of interaction between a pair of particles as a function of the distance of separation between the centers of the particles. This is shown in the following pages. After discussing the general aspects of concentrated dispersions, we focus on a specific example, i.e., paper coating colors. This gives the opportunity to demonstrate properties of concentrated dispersions in detail in a systematic way. Of course, many of the characteristics of paper coatings discussed here can be transferred to other applications of concentrated dispersions.
