ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines the basic principles of electrostatic, steric, and electrosteric stabilization of colloidal suspensions. Colloids consisting of particles dispersed in a liquid are generally divided into two broad classes: lyophilic colloids and lyophobic colloids. When an electric field is applied to a colloidal suspension, the particles move with a velocity that is proportional to the applied field strength. The motion is called electrophoresis. The measured potential, called the ? potential, is an important guide to the stability of lyophobic colloids. Steric stabilization is the term used to describe the stabilization of colloidal particles which results from the interaction between uncharged polymer chains ad-sorbed onto the particle surfaces. The objective is to understand how the colloidal properties of the suspension can be manipulated to produce the desired structure in the consolidated body. Rheological measurements are widely used to characterize the properties of colloidal suspensions.
