Analysis of aggregation processes in suspensions of colloidal silica particles

By the example of silica suspensions it is demonstrated that the earlier pr oposed theoretical model is in good agreement with experimental data. It is shown that in suspensions of substances with a weak dispersion particle in teraction (Hamaker constant is about 10(-19) J or smaller), including silic a suspensions, the particles should be of particular size governed by their volume properties and specific surface charge and weakly depending on thei r specific surface energy. The authors estimate this size for silica suspen sions. It is shown that monodispersed spherical silica particles in opal re ally consist of microparticles of this size.