Abstract
Oxide particles are commonly used as fillers in plastics, paper, rubber, etc. (particulate composites). The successful fabrication of such composites is dependent upon the adhesive strength of the filler particles to the matrix. The compatibility of the matrix and the filler particles is generally enhanced by the adsorption of surface modifiers such as surfactants and polymers at the particle-matrix interface. To develop a scientific basis for the selection of the appropriate modifiers it is necessary to understand their adsorption mechanisms. Specifically, the adsorption of polymeric additives is attributed to a combination of chemical and electrostatic interactions, hydrogen bonding and van der Waals forces. Hydrogen bonding has been suggested to be the primary adsorption mechanism for nonionic polymers. However, a literature survey of the Poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)-oxide system suggested that PEO, a nonionic polymer, was substrate specific. A systematic study was undertaken to investigate the adsorption mechanisms of PEO on oxide particles. It was determined that strong Bronsted acid sites on the surface interact with the ether oxygen, a Lewis base, of PEO to induce adsorption. In this work, characterization of PEO binding sites on oxides is reported and the mechanisms of PEO adsorption are discussed.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ananthapadmanabhan, K.P., and Goddard, E.D., 1987, “Aqueous bi-phase formation of polyethylene oxide-inorganic salt systems,” Langmuir, 3(1), pp. 2531.
Bailey Jr., F.E., and Koleske, J.V., 1976, Poly(ethylene oxide), Academic Press, New York.
Behl, S., and Moudgil, B.M., 1993, “Mechanisms of Polyethylene Oxide Interaction with Apatite and Dolomite,” Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 161, pp. 443–449.
Brown, P.M., Stanley, D.A., and Scheiner, B.J., 1989, “An explanation of flocculation using Lewis acid-base theory,” Minerals and Metallurgical Processing, pp. 196–200.
Cheng, Y.C., 1985, “The Effect of Surface Hydration on the Adsorption and Flocculation of a Model Silica Suspension Using Polyethylene Oxide,” M.S. Thesis, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
Davydov, A.A., 1990, Infrared Spectroscopy of Adsorbed Species on the Surface of Transition Metal Oxides, C.H. Rochester, ed., John Wiley & Sons, NY.
Hoghooghi, B., 1985, “Flocculation of Palygorskite Suspensions and the Orientation of Particle in Flocs,” M.S. Thesis, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
Kjellander, R., and Florin, E., 1981, “Structure of polyethylene oxide in water,” J. of Chemical Society, Faraday Trans. I, 77, pp. 2053.
Koksal, E., Ramachandran, R., Somasundaran, P., and Maltesh, C., 1990, “Flocculation of Oxides using Poly(ethylene oxide),” Powder Technology, 62, pp. 253–259.
Kung, H.H., 1989, Transition Metal Oxides: Surface Chemistry and Catalysis, Elsevier, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Moudgil, B.M., Behl, S., and Kulkami, N., 1992, “Measurement of heat adsorption of polyethylene oxide on dolomite, silica and alumina by microcalorimetry,” Journal Colloid Interface Science, 148(2), pp. 337–342.
Moudgil, B.M., Mathur, S. and Behl, S, 1995, “Flocculation behavior of dolomite with poly(ethylene-oxide),” Minerals and Metallurgical Processing, 12(4), pp. 219–224.
Okamoto, Y., and Imanaka, T., 1988, “Interaction chemistry between molybdena and alumina: Infrared studies of surface hydroxyl groups and adsorbed carbondioxide on aluminas modified with molybdate, sulfate, or fluorine atoms,” Journal of Physical Chem-istry, 92, pp. 7102–7112.
Parks, G.A., 1965, “Point of zero charges of solid oxides, solid hydroxides and aqueous hydroxo complex systems,” Chemical Review, 65, pp. 177–197.
Pradip, 1991, “On the design of selective reagents for mineral processing applications,” Metals, Materials & Processes, 3 (1), pp. 15–36.
Prakash, T.S., 1996, “Separation of Salts Using Polymer Bi-Phase System,” M.S. Thesis, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
Reed, J.S., 1988, Principles of Ceramic Processing, John Wiley & Sons Inc., New York, NY.
Rubio, J., and Kitchener, J.A., 1976, “The mechanism of adsorption of poly(ethylene oxide) flocculant on silica,” Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 57(1), pp. 132–141.
Scheiner, B.J., and Stanley, D.A., 1986, “Flocculation of fine particles with polyethylene oxide: A proposed mechanism,” Transactions of the Society of Mining Engineers, 280, pp. 2115–2117.
Shah, B.D., 1986, “Selectivity in Mixed Mineral Flocculation: Apatite-Dolomite System,” M.S. Thesis, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
van der Beek, G.P., Cohen Stuart, M.A., Fleer, G.J., and Hofman, J.E., 1991, “Segmental adsorption energies for polymers on silica and alumina,” Macromolecules, 24, pp. 6600–6611
Vassilev, K.G., Dimov, D.K., Stamenova, R.T., Boeva, R.S., and Tsvetanov, Ch. B., 1986, “Complex Forming Properties of Cross Linked Poly(ethylene oxide). I. Interaction of Linear and Cross linked Poly(ethylene oxide) with Molybdenum VI Salts,” Journal of Polymer Science: Part A: Polymer Chemistry, 24, pp. 3541–3554.
Walker, W.J., Reed, J.S., Verma, S., and Zirk, W., 1996, “Adsorption behavior of polyethylene glycol,” Paper No. B-101-96, presented at the 98th Annual Meeting of the American Ceramic Society, Indianapolis, IN.
Weissenborn, P.K., Warren, L.J., and Dunn, J.G., 1995, “Selective flocculation of ultrafine iron ore. 1. Mechanism of adsorption of starch onto hematite,” Colloids and Surfaces, 99, pp. 11–27.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
s. Mathur, member SME, member SME, was graduate student University of Florida, Gainsville, FL
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mathur, S., Moudgil, B.M. Mechanisms of nonionic polymer adsorption on oxide surfaces. Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration 15, 24–28 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03402794
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03402794