Evaluation of dispersant efficiency for aqueous alumina slurries by concurrent techniques

This article reports on results from a comparative study assessing a suitable method for dispersant efficiency evaluation in the case of water-based suspensions of ultrafine alumina stabilized by a commonly used dispersant, Dolapix CE64. The following measurements were evaluated: zeta potential, specific surface charge, sedimentation behavior, and capillary suction time. The suitability of each of the tested techniques is discussed. A good agreement between the zeta potential and the specific surface charge as a way to determine the optimal dose of dispersant is documented.