STUDY OF THE ACID-BASE PROPERTIES AND INTERFACIAL ENERGY OF METALLIC HYDROXIDES AND OXIDES

Inverse gas chromatography (IGC) at infinite dilution was used to dete rmine the dispersive component gamma(S)(D) of the surface energy of so me metallic oxides and hydroxides. The zero charge point (ZCP) of thes e solids was determined by potentiometric measurements, whereas their isoelectric point (IEP) was calculated by the zeta potential technique in aqueous medium. This study allowed us to determine the acid-base p roperties (in terms of the Bronstedt acid-base concept) of the solids. The interfacial energy of the oxides and hydroxides was obtained from the results of Sohnel. The new linear relationships found between the gamma(S)(D) of solids and their ZCP (or their IEP, or pH of their aqu eous suspension) allowed us to obtain the polar component of the surfa ce energy as a function of the ZCP or IEP of these solids.