Influence of ionic strength on the surface charge and interaction of layered silicate particles

[Display omitted] •The surface charge of selected clay surfaces was determined from AFM measurements.•The surface charge sequence was: mica face>kaolinite silica face>talc face.•The cluster size of kaolinite particles increased with increasing ionic strength. The surface charge densities and surface potentials of selected phyllosilicate surfaces were calculated from AFM surface force measurements and reported as a function of ionic strength at pH 5.6. The results show that the silica faces of clay minerals follow the constant surface charge model because of isomorphous substitution in the silica tetrahedral layer. A decreasing surface charge density sequence was observed as follows: muscovite silica face>kaolinite silica face>talc silica face, which is expected to be due to the extent of isomorphous substitution. In contrast, at pH 5.6, the alumina face and the edge surface of kaolinite follow the constant surface potential model with increasing ionic strength, and the surface charge density increased with increasing ionic strength. The cluster size of suspended kaolinite particles at pH 5.6 was found to increase with increasing ionic strength due to an increase in the surface charge density for the alumina face and the edge surface. However, the cluster size decreased at 100mM KCl as a result of an unexpected decrease in the surface charge of the alumina face. When the ionic strength continued to increase above 100mM KCl, the van der Waals attraction dominated and larger clusters of micron size were stabilized.