Competitive Adsorption of Dispersant and Binder on Alumina and Its Effect on the Electrokinetic Behavior in Aqueous Media

In wet powder processing of alumina, a number of organic molecules such as dispersant and binder are used to produce the flow behavior and properties requisite for shape forming. In this study, interparticle forces of alumina particles suspended in aqueous media were controlled by suspension pH, poly (methacrylic acid) (PMAA, used as dispersant) and poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA, used as binder). The combined adsorption isotherms of the dispersant and binder additives on alumina were determined by total organic carbon analyzer, while the adsorption of dispersant was differentiated from binder in the mixed additive system by ultraviolet spectroscopy. The electrokinetic behavior of alumina suspensions were then correlated with the adsorption characteristics of dispersant and binder onto alumina particles. It was found that the isoelectric ($pH_{iep}$) of alumina shifted from pH 8.9${\pm}$0.1 to acidic pH as PMAA concentration increased, while PVA adsorption did not affect the $pH_{iep}$ but caused a decrease in the near surface potential.