I

Rudarsko-geoloiko-naftnizbornik Vol. 4 str. 147-151 Zagreb, 1992.

UDC 537.39 St&ni Clanak

MEASUREMENT AND APPLICATION OF ZETA-POTENTIAL

Branko SALOPEK, Dragan KRASI~:and Suzana FILIPOVI~
Faculty of Mining, Geology and Petroleum Engineering, University of Zagreb, Pierottijeva 6, 41000 Zagreb, Croatia

Key-words. Electrokinetic phenomena, Zeta-Potential, Methods Kljube rue& ElektrokinetiEke pojave, Zeta-potencijal, Metode
of measurement. mjerenja.
The electrokinetic or zeta-potential is an important parameter ElektrokinetiEki ili zeta-potencijal vaZan je parametar dvojnog
of the electrical double layer and represents a characteristic of elektrihog sloja i predstavlja jednoznatnu karakteristiku elektriC
electrical properties of solid/liquid and liquidlgaseous interfaces. nih svojstava na kontaktu faza hrsto-tekuk i tekuk-plinovito.
In the paper electrokinetic phenomena in this contact are described U radu su opisane elektrokinetitke pojave koje pri tom kontaktu
as well as measuring methods. Changes of the values of zeta-poten- nastaju, kao i metode mjerenja potencijala. Prikazane su pro-
tial depending on some properties of solidhiquid interface are mjene vrijednosti zeta-potencijala u ovisnosti o nekim svojstvima
being considered. Evrste i tekuh faze.

Introduction equal sign will be repulsed from the surface. By the

added influence of mixing as a consequence of ther-
In flotation (today the prevailing method in mine- mic movements and the influence of Brown's move-
ral dressing) as well as in solid/liquid separation the ment, an electrical double layer is formed (S h a w ,
surface properties of the minerals, i. e. the specific 1970).
surface and surface charge, are of essential importan- This double layer consists of charged surface and
ce. a neutralized surplus of opposite-and equally-charged
In the mineral-water interface electrical forces are ions diffusely spreading through polar medium. The
also acting. The ionized solid particle is surrounded double layer is characterized by the ion arrangement
by liquid ions charged oppositely to the surface and the magnitude of electrical potential in the
particle. During the movement of the solid particle vicinity of the charged particle surface. The existence
through the liquid a liquid layer surrounding the of the electrical double layer is in close connection
particle will move together with it. Thus, ionized with the electrostatic interaction between the partic-
particle will carry a thin liquid shell making with it les of suspension and, consequently, with the suspen-
an integral whole. The potential difference between sion stability.
the external surface of that shell and the liquid as The electrical double layer consists of two parts,
a whole is called electrokinetic potential or zeta- i.e.: an inner part which includes adsorbed ions and
potential. an external or diffuse part in which the ions are
The zeta-potential is used in colloid chemistry for arranged under the influence of electrical forces and
observing the behaviour of dispersive systems in thermal movements.
liquids. Besides, the zeta-potential characterizes the G o u y and C h a p m a n proposed a model of the
electrical double layer on the solidmiquid interface, diffuse part of the double layer which assumes the
a fact very important in flotation and flocculation following suppositions:
processes ( 0 c e p e k, 1989).
In this paper the zeta-potential measuring methods a) the surface is plane, extending to infinity and
(electrophoresis, electroosmosis, streaming potential uniformly charged;
and sedimentation) are described as well as the b) ions in diffuse part bear a unit charge;
measuring principles of the corresponding devices. c) the polar medium effects the double layer only
Zeta-potentials of a few minerals of characteristic through its dielectric constant which is unchanged
mineral groups are shown on specimens as well as in the whole diffuse part of the layer;
the relation between potential magnitude and suspen- d) the polar medium has the characteristics of a
sion stability. symmetrical electrolite.
Thus, this model shows the relation between the
Electrical double layer on the solidhiquid interface charge, potential and electrolite concentration,
neglecting the ion size. J
In the contact with a polar medium (water) the The magnitude of surface charge following thls
majority of mineral particles show a definite surface model (S v a r o v s k y, 1977) is given by the equation:
charge as the consequence of ionization, ionic adsor-
ption and ionic dissolution. This surface charge
influences the arrangement of neighbouring ions of
the polar medium. Ions of the opposite sign will be
attracted to the particle surface and the ions of-the
 Rudarsko-geoloSko-naftni zbornik, Vol. 4, Zagreb, 1992

where are: Zeta-potential and possibilities of its measurement

o -' density of the.surface charge,
E - dielectric constant,
The explanation of the phenomena connected with
k - Boltzman constant, the surface charge of a solid phase in contact with
T - absolute temperature, a liquid one was made possible by the electrical
e - charge of an electron, double layer theory. According to this theory the
9, - particle potential, electrokinetic or zeta-potential is a measurable pro-
v - ion .valence of opposite charge. perty of an electrized interface.
If an electrized interface between two phases is
Stern noticed the drawback of neglecting the ion under the influence of an external electrical field
size and therefore proposed a model which starts acting parallel with the interface surface, there arises
from the following assumptions: a relative movement of one phase towards the other.
a) ions have a finite size; The potential of the sliding plane, which can be
b) ions cannot approach the surface at a distance experirnentaly measured, is the electrokinetic or zeta-
smaller than the magnitude of ionic radius; potential (A d a m s o n , 1967).
c) the possibility of a specific ion adsorption exists. From the above it is clear that the zeta-potential
The ions which under the effects of electrostatic is changing according to the changes in the solution,
and/or van der Waals forces adsorb on the particle what means that by zeta-potential measurements it
surfaces, overcoming the effect of thermal move- is possible to follow the changes which take place
ments, are colled specifically adsorbed ions (S haw, in the solution. Therefore, the measurement of the
1970). The centres of these ions are localized inside zeta-potential is an important controlling proceeding
the Stem plane, that is between the particle surface in many technical processes.
and the Stem plane (Fig. 1). The ions with centres For zeta-potential measuring electrophoresis is
on the opposite side of the Stern plane form the mostly used because the measurements can be carried
diffuse part of the electrical double layer (Gouy- out relatively simply and quickly, as there are avai-
Chapman model). lable various measuring devices zetameters, on the
market. A limitation of the method presents the
particle size of the measured sample of approximately
10 nm . . . 10 pm. Electrophoresis appears when a
fine (e. g., colloidal) dispersion of some dielectric
Stern layer with matter in the electrolitic solution is exposed to the
counter-ions effect of an electrical field. Single dispersed particles
3
are electrically charged according to the dispersion
medium and an electrical double layer is formed
around each of them. If the liquid phase as a whole
b S t e r n plane
Distance - is prevented to flow in one direction, only charged
particles will be kept in motion in the electrical
Fig. 1 Schematic representation of electrical double layer
field, and they will travel, depending on their charge,
towards the catode or anode.
The size of the charge according to the Stem
model is given by the equation:

where ug is the charge given by Gouy's model, 9,

is replaced with q,, while a, is the charge of the
Stem layer. So, the definite expression of the Stern
model is written as follows (S v a r o v s k y, 1977):

Fig. 2 Schematic representation of the device for measuring elec-

where are: trophoresis
n - ion concentration, 1. cylindric tube containing portions of suspension; 2.
om - charge density of monolayer of the opposite electrodes for generating direct voltage: 3. power source;
4. microscope for determing particles mobility speed; 5.
charged ions, measuring insturment.
A - frequency factor,
Q, - van der Waals energy. Electroosmosis can be taken as a complement to
The potential on the Stem plane which divides electrophoresis. Electroosmosis is the measurement
the immovable part of the layer from its diffuse part of the flow of a liquid phase through a porous
is called zeta-potential. This potential is a parameter membrane in a known electrical field, with constant
representing electrical properties of an interface. temperature. The speed of electroosmotic flow is
Salopek, B. et al.: Zeta-potential

proportional to the strength by which an external solution through the membrane, a certain potential
electrical field acts on the charge of liquid phase. difference, called the flow potential, can be provo-
Streaming potential is a phenomenon opposite to ked. It is just proportional to the difference between
electroosmosis. During the passing of the liquid pressures and the flow speed of the electrolite solu-
phase through an electrized membrane due to the tion through the membrane pores. The flow potential
potential difference of the two electrodes, electroo- as well as electroosmosis are phenomena depending
smosis causes a certain difference of pressures, what on the colloidal membrane and its electrization.
again causes a raising of the liquid level. Opposite The phenomenon opposite to the electrophoresis
to this electroosmotic effect, by means of applying is the sedimentation potential. It realizes during the
pressures in the same system and by forcing the movements of electrized particles in gravitational or
sedimentation fields in centrifuges. It is rarely used
in the study of electrokinetic phenomena because it
is very difficult to be measured.

The importance of
zeta-potential in flotation and flocculation
In the flotation process three phases are present:
solid, liquid and gaseous. By their interaction it
comes to oxidation, hydratation and hydrolysis; that
causes lesser or bigger changes in the properties of
the.mineral surface. Here, two factors are important
( F u e r s t e n a u , 1982):
- interaction of water molecules with mineral'surfa-
ce, either in liquid or gaseous surroundings;
- electrical double layer in the solid/liquid interface.
Oriented water layers in mineral surface have a
significant effect on wetting the solids, as well as
Fig. 3 Schematic representation of the device for measuring elec- on the nature of adsorption in an interface. On the
troosmosis other hand, electrical double layer can control the
1. porous mass through which solution flows (membrane); processes of flotation in many ways (F u e r s t e n a u,
2. measuring electrodes; 3. operating electrodes; 4. mea-
suring instrument; 5. parallel capillary; 6. power sour? 1982); the following must be mentioned:
- the symbol and size of the surface charge controls
the physical adsorption of the flotation reagents;
- a high surface charge can inhibit the chemical
adsorption of the collectors;
- the flocculation and dispersion of mineral suspen-
sions is controlled by the electrical double layer;
- slime coatings are determined by electrical double
layer interaction;
- the double layer on air bubbles has a significant
effect on naturally floating mineral systems;
- flotation kinetics relate directly to the effect of
double layers on the kinetics of film thinning.
Fig. 4 Schematic repr&ntation of the device for measuring stra- To be able to separate by means of flotation from
ming potential
1. porous mass through which solution flows (membrane); some paragenesis only a certain mineral, it is indi-
2. measuring electrodes; 3. measuring instrument; 4. pro- spensable to know the following about the present
voking and measuring pressure minerals (N e y, 1973):
- the sort and compostition (main parts, at least);
- solubility and, if possible, the speed of solubility
in clear water, in acids and bases;
- zeta-potential depending on pH values.
On the basis of mineral properties which are mani-
fested during flotation, i. e. which influence their
floatability minerals may be divided in a few groups
(N e y, 1973):
Group 1: Naturally hydrophobic minerals;
Group 2: Minerals floating with sulfhydrilic collec-
tors;
Fig. 5 Schematic representation of the device ofr measuring sedi- Group 3: Minerals soluble in acids or sensitive to
mentation potential acids ;
1. container-collector with emptying possibilty for the par- Group 4: Oxide and silicate A t u r e s generally insen-
ticles illloving towards the electrode; 2. operating electro-
des; 3. measuring electrodes; 4. suspension container; 5. sitive to acids;
power source; 6. measuring instrument Group 5: Silicates which form monomineral rocks.
 Rudarsko-eeoloSko-naftni zbornik. Vol. 4. Zagreb. 1992

Zeta-potentials of some characteristic minerals of potential there is an interdependence which is not

the mentioned groups are presented in Fig. 6. proportional.
The curve >>a<< shows the zeta-potential of talc From the size of the zeta-potential no direct con-
(Group 1) depending on pH values. The zeta-poten- clusions about the suspension stability can be drawn,
tial depends on the interaction between water ions although from a number of zeta-potential measure-
and the hydrophobic clevage plane but on the ments as well as from the other investigations with
hydrophylic side planes of the talc leaves. very different colloides and finely ground minerals
and mineral mixtures it could be shown that the
following dependences are valid (Ri d d i c k, 1967).
Table I . change of suspension stability depending on zeta-potential
size

Assessment of stability

Maximal agglomeration and precipitation 0. ..+ 3

Region of strong agglomeration and precipitation + 5 . . .- 5
Beginning of agglomeration -10.. .- 15
Beginning of peptization (disperging) -16.. .- 30
Medium stability - 3 1 . . .- 40
Good stability - 4 1 . . . - 60
Very good stability - 6 1 . . .- 80
Extremely good stabiiity, - 8 1 . . .-lo0

Fig. 6 Depedence of zeta-potential on pH values From Table 1 it can be seen that stability is at
the lowest in the vicinity of a point where the value
The curve >>bee shows the zeta-potential of galenite of zeta-potential is approximately equal to zero.
(Group 2) depending on pH values. Electronic holes Therefore, if the suspension is to be destabilized,
should prevail on the galenite planes in the range one of the ways is to lower the zeta-potential, i. e.
from pH 2 to pH 9, as the zeta-potential is positive to reduce the electronegativity of a particle. A mar-
in this region. To this groupe belong mineral raw kedly strong agglomeration is achieved by adding
materials which are very suitable subordinate to longchained polymers which cause a mechanical lin-
flotation because they exhibit marked hydrophobia. king of single particles, i. e. of smaller flocculi into
The curve >>cccshows the zeta-potential of gypsum bigger ones.
(Group 3) depending on pH values. A number of In the Fig. 7 the electrokinetic potential of red
mineral raw materials from this group float only in mud is shown (the insoluble residue after bauxite
acidd or very acid pH regions though the usage of leaching) with addition of polymers of different mole-
acids may even have some negative consequences. cular mass and ionogenity (S a 1o p e k, 1982).
Gypsum floats in a wide range of pH, both with
anion and kation collectors.
60-
The curve ~dccshows the zeta-potential of magne-
tite (Group 4) depending on pH values. For all 50-
mineral rawyaterials of this group the zeta-potential
is p o 9 W e in more or less acid media, and it is > 30- - LO-

negative in poor acid or alcalic medium. Minerals E

of high density belong to this group, what influences - 20-
their floatabiliy.
The curve >>eccshows the zeta-potential of the
pure quartz (Group 5) depending on pH values.
Quartz can be floated with kationic collectors in the
whole pH region. Mineral raw materials which have
extremely unsuitable conditions for separation of
minerals belong to this group.
In the flocculation process the suspension stability
of finely ground minerals has an important role.
Under stability the resistance of mineral suspension
to the change of its state is understood. Suspension
stability can be explained by the changing action of
attracting forces on one side and repelling forces on Fig. 7 Zeta-potential of red mud.
the other, what depends on the particle distance.
By addition of the attracting and repelling energies The curve >>a<< shows the zeta-potential of a simple
the resulting potential curve can be obtained, with without addition of a flocculant. In acid regions the
a form that depends on the surface potential value, potential is positive and in alkali regions it is nega-
too. Between the zeta-potential and the surface tive. In the isoelectric point at pH 6,3.. .7, an
Salopek, 3. et al.: Zeta-potential

abrupt change of concentration of potential determi- series of processes, as stated before. Also, during
ning H+, i. e. OH- ions in the electrical double the flotation process there are mainly artificial sur-
layer takes place. In this narrow pH region the faces which in the sense of energy are always much
potential abruptly increases from 0 to 45 (mV), richer than natural surfaces; further on, all experi-
approx. ments are performed in water or in the air, what
The curve >>beshows the zeta-potential of red causes many changes on the mineral surfaces. Since
mud with an addition of kationic flocculant Praestol the mineral surface is not composed homogeneously
184 K of molecular mass 5 x 16. This flocculant of particles with an identical charge, it shows a more
shows a positive zeta-potential which from the value or less changing activity, what is reflected in the
of 55 (mV) in acid regions gradually drops to 25 zeta-potential.
(mV) in alkali regions. In a sedimentation experi- In solid/liquid separation, as well as in other pro-
ment a very pure overflow has been obtained. cesses where flocculation is used, the inclination to
The curves PC<<, >>d<c
and ne<<show the zeta-poten- stability changes of the suspension cannot be estima-
tial with an addition of anionic flocculants A-6, ted just on the basis of the zeta-potential size,
Flocgel, Praestol 2450, of the molecular mass although a certain connection between the stability
5 . . .10 x lo6, 5 . . .10 x 16 and 5 x 16. The zeta- and the zeta-potential surely exists.
potential is negative during the whole measuring The zeta-potential can help in the choice of floc-
region, with the exception of flocculant A-6 which culants but a definite valuation of its applicability
shows positive values between pH 3 and 4. In the can be given only after sedimentation or other sui-
region of pH 8 . . .10,5 the values of the zeta-poten- table tests.
tial are in accordance with sedimentation experi-
Received: 8. 1. 1992.
ments but as well as with the molecular mass of
single flocculants. A less zeta-potential and greater Accepted: 9. VI. 1992.
molecular mass give more masive flocculi and a
purer overflow. The influence of polymer flocculants
depend much more on their molecular mass than REFERENCES
on ionogenity. A d a m s o n , A r t u r , W. (1x7): Electrical Aspects of Surface
Therefore, a kationic flocculant is not indispensa- Chemisty, John Wiley & Sons, 209 pp, New York.
ble for the destabilization of an electronegative F u e r s t e n au, D. W. (1988): Principles of flotation, South Afri-
suspension as well as the anionic flocculant is not can IMM,Chap 2, Johannesburg.
indispensable in the case of a highly positive zeta- G o c h i n, R. J. (1990): Flotation. In: Svarowsky, L.: Solid-liquid
potential. Separation, Butterworths, 591-627, London.
N e y, P. (1973): Zeta-Potentiale und Flotierbarkeit von Minera-
len, Springer - Verlag, 214 pp., Wien.
0 c e p e k, D. (1989): Bogatenje mineralnih in energetskih suro-
vin, Univerza Edvarda Kardelja v Ljubljani, FNT VTOZD
A greater part of investigations of mineral zeta- Montanistika, 350 pp., LjubIjana.
potentials is based on the presumption of an interac- R i d d i c k, M. T. (1967): Control of colloid stability through
ting dependence between the zeta-potential and Zeta-potential, Inc., New York.
mineral floatability. The results of such investiga- S a 1o p e k, B. (1982): Teorija i tehnologija kombiniranog sistema
tions, obtained by eminent scientists, are very diffe- zgdnjavanja i dubinske filtracije, Disertacija, Univerza
Edvarda Kardelja v Ljubljani, FNT WOZD Montanistika,
rent. The reason is that the zeta-potential of any Ljubljana.
material in water solutions is defined not by one S h a w, D. J. (1970): Introduction to colloid and surface chemistry,
specific process only but it is a consequence of a Butterworths, 236 pp., London.

Mjerenje i primjena zeta-potencijala

B. Salopek, D. KrasiC i S. FilipoviC

VeCi dio ispitivanja zeta-potencijala minerala odnosi se na od Eestica identitnog naboja, ona pokazuje viie-manje promjen-
pretpostavku medusobne ovisnosti zeta-potencijala i flotabilnosti. ljivu aktivnost, Sto se odra2ava i na zeta-potencijalu.
Rezultati ispitivanja ove ovisnosti vflo su razlititi. Uzrok tome U postupcima razdvajanja faza hrsto-tekuk, kao i u ostalim
je tinjenica da zeta-potencijal nekog minerala u vodenoj otopini postupcima gdje se koristi flokulacija, ne m o k se samo na temelju
nije definiran samo jednim specifitnim procesom nego je poslje- velitine zeta-potencijala procjenjivati sklonost promjene stabilno-
dica niza procesa. Takoder, u procesu flotiranja uglavnom se sti suspenzije, iako nedvojbeno postoji odredena veza izmedu
radi o umjetnim povrSinama, koje su u energetskom smislu uvijek stabiiosti i zeta-potencijala. Zeta-potencijal moZe biti od pomdi
bogatije od prirodnih povdina, a i svi se pokusi izvode u vodi pri izboru flokulatora, ali konatna se ocjena njegove podobnosti
ili na zraku, Sto naravno ima za posljedicu promjenu mineralnih moZe donijeti tek nakon provedbe sedimentacijskih ili drugih
povriina. Zato Sto mineralna povrsina nije sastavljena homogeno prikladnih testova.