Suspension Flocculation by Polyelectrolytes: Experimental Verification of a Developed Mathematical Model

Using experimental data of AgI sol and poly(2-methyl-5-vinylpyridine) chloride, we show that there is good agreement between the developed mathematical model of suspension flocculation by polyelectrolytes and the experimental data. The rate constants of bridging and nonbridging aggregation of particles and of floc breakup, as well as their ratios, have been determined. It has been shown that the role of the nonbridging mechanism, as compared with that of the bridging one, diminishes when molecular mass of polyelectrolyte increases from 1.4 x 10(5) to 9.3 x 10(5).