Pigment Dispersion perparation

12/1/2016 Steric stabilization
05
Dispersing additives
Dispersing additives are needed to stabilize the state achieved
after the pigment grinding (fine distribution of the pigment
particles in the binder solution) for a long period of time, i.e. to
prevent the flocculation of the pigments.
Flocculation is caused by the attractive London-van der Waal forces occurring between the particles. These forces
are effective only across a small distance, but the Brownian molecular motion causes the particles to collide time
and again or at least causes them to become too close to each other and therefore creates flocculation.
In order to stabilize a system against flocculation, repelling forces must be used between the particles. The
interaction of the attracting and repelling energies between the particles is usually represented in the form of
potential curves. The total of both curves results in the total energy.
http://ebooks.byk.com/en/wetting­and­dispersing/steric­stabilization/ 10/20