EFFECT OF POLYMERIC ALKYL SIDE-CHAIN ON DISPERSION STABILITY OF ALUMINA PARTICLES

Abstract

The dispersion stability was examined for alumina particles in solutions of different alkyl methacrylates (methyl, n-butyl and 2-ethylhexyl)/methacrylic acid copolymers. It was found that good dispersion can be obtained from solutions of n-butyl methacrylate/methacrylic acid and 2-ethylhexyl methacrylate / methacrylic acid copolymers and that they settled as good deflocculated suspensions, whereas aggregation was much easier using methyl methacrylate/methacrylic acid copolymers. Sedimentation test was used to determine the dispersion quality, which involved measuring the sediment volume of the packed alumina after gravity settling. The influence of dispersion media and copolymer structure was also studied.