Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 12, 2026

Confocal Imaging of Confined Quiescent and Flowing Colloid-polymer Mixtures
Published on: May 21, 2014
An Experimental Test of the Ion Condensation Theory for Spherical Colloidal Particles
Quesada-Pérez1, Callejas-Fernández, Hidalgo-Álvarez
1Departamento de Física, Universidad de Extremadura, Escuela Politécnica, Cáceres, 10071, Spain
Abstract:
This paper deals with the notion of ion condensation for spherical colloids and, more specifically, with a recent model developed to predict effective charges (Y. Levin, M. C. Barbosa, and M. N. Tamashiro, Europhys. Lett. 41, 123, 1998). Electrophoretic mobility measurements (carried out for a set of well-characterized latexes) were used to find out to what extent this theory is able to accounts for: (i) the insensitivity of mobility to surface charge, and (ii) the small values of electrokinetic charge found at low ionic strength. As the Levin theory was developed assuming no added salt, a previous discussion about the effect of additional electrolyte was needed. Contrary to what other authors have reported, our results do not support the above-mentioned theory. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.
Related Concept Videos
Electrolytes: van't Hoff Factor
Colloids
Colloids and Suspensions
Precipitate Formation and Particle Size Control
The obtained precipitate should be either a pure substance of known composition or easily converted to one by a simple process, such as ignition or drying. In addition, the precipitate should be insoluble and easily filterable. In general, filterability...
Colloidal precipitates
The Colloidal State

