Impact of electric field on Hofmeister effects in aggregation of negatively charged colloidal minerals

Abstract

In this study, the aggregation kinetics of negatively charged colloidal minerals in Na++, K++, NH4+, Mg2+, Ca2+ and Cu2+ solutions were measured and Hofmeister effects therein were estimated through total average aggregation (TAA) rates and critical coagulation concentration (CCC). Hofmeister effects of TAA rates increased exponentially with the increase in electric field strength, which cannot be explained by the classical theories (i.e., ionic size, hydration and dispersion forces), indicating strong electric field at colloidal surface was an indispensable factor in studying Hofmeister effects. Meanwhile, Hofmeister series of CCC values Na+> K+> NH4+ > Mg2+> Ca2+> Cu2+ show fine correlation with the polarization of various cations, implying that onic polarization in strong electric field would be responsible for Hofmeister effects in aggregation of colloidal minerals, and the deduction was confirmed by the calculated results of electrostatic interactions between colloidal minerals.