Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, Vol.247, No.1, 18-23, 2002
Surface charge density/surface potential relationship for a spherical colloidal particle in a salt-free medium
On the basis of a theory of Imai and Oosawa (Busseiron Kenkyu 52, 42 (1952); 59, 99 (1953)), approximate analytic expressions for the surface charge density/surface potential relationship for a spherical colloidal particle in a salt-free (aqueous or nonaqueous) medium containing only counterions are derived. There is a certain critical value of the surface charge density (or the total surface charge) separating two distinct cases: low surface charge density case and high surface charge density case. In the latter case counterion condensation occurs in the vicinity of the particle surface. The results are in excellent agreement with numerical calculations for the case of dilute suspensions.
Keywords:surface potential;surface charge density;salt-free medium;nonaqueous medium;spherical particle;counterion condensation