ABSTRACT
Particle-particle interaction is central to a wide range of engineering applications and processing industries. Examples include coagulation, ˜occulation, dispersion, emulsi”cation, and froth ˜otation. In these applications, the particle size is small, and the overall particulate behavior is determined by forces associated with the surface properties rather than those related to mass or volume. The surface properties of a particle in a liquid medium are the result of a complex interaction between molecules, atoms, and ions at the particle surface and in the surrounding liquid. If a number of particles are present, interactions also take place between particles at short separation distances, and it is this interaction that is of most interest as it can determine the overall stability or instability of dispersions and/or suspensions.
