Osmotic pressure measurements on strongly interacting polymer colloid dispersions

Equipment has been developed for the determination of the osmotic pressure of small-sized particulate dispersions of polystyrene at low volume fractio ns. The specific conductance of the dispersion and that of a reservoir of s alt, in equilibrium with the dispersion separated by a membrane, was measur ed simultaneously with osmotic pressure. The results are analysed in terms of a low volume fraction theory of osmotic pressure equilibrium between a c olloid compartment and salt solution compartment separated by a membrane. ( C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.