QUESTION 4
[16]
(a) When a drop of an insoluble liquid, such as oil, is placed on a clean liquid, such as
water, it may behave in one of the three ways. Name the three behaviour scenarios
possible.
(3)
(b) State the wetting properties of a liquid on a solid when the contact angle, 0, is: (4)
(i)
O°C
(ii) 75°C
(iii) 150°C
(iv) 180°C
(c) To improve the wetting properties of a liquid, what additive is normally used? Explain
briefly your answer.
(2)
(d) Consider three different liquids mercury (Hg), water, and decane having surface
tensions of 484, 72.8 and 24 mNm’*, respectively. State the differential wetting
properties or behaviour of these liquids on planar surfaces of the following materials
whose surface energies are given in brackets: magnesium oxide, MgO (y = 1200 mNm
1), silica, SiO2 (y = 307 mNm), polyethylene (y = 31 mNm‘) and
polytetrafluoroethylene, PTFE (vy = 18 mNm*?).
(7)
QUESTION 5
[26]
(a) Describe the origins of van der Waals attraction interaction potentials acting
between colloidal particles.
(6)
(b) On the same well-labelled diagram, show schematically the variation of the total pair
potential, Vr = Va + Vr, with particle separation, h, for the following:
(i)
A stable sol
(ii)
A marginally stable sol
(iii)
An unstable sol
(6)
(c) State the conditions to be met if sterically stabilised dispersions are to be prepared.
Give examples of various types of polymer structures that may be used. For a stable
sterically stabilised dispersion of spherical particles, show schematically on the same
well-labelled diagram the variation of the potentials, Vtotal, Vsteric aNd Vvan der Waals With
particle separation, h.
(10)
(d) In paints and coatings formulations, bridging flocculation and depletion flocculation
must be controlled. What do you understand by these two terms?
(4)
END OF EXAM QUESTIONS