Effect of Conformation of Adsorbed Polymeric Dispersant on Dispersion Stability of Slurry

In order to determine the preparation time for slurry in ceramic manufacturing processes, the effect of the conformation of ammonium polycarboxylate, an adsorbed anionic polymeric dispersant with a molecular weight of 8000～10000, on the dispersion stability of the slurry was investigated. The slurry preparation time was varied and the effect was investigated using and hydrostatic pressure measurement. The results of the investigation showed that the conformation of adsorbed polymers changed with time from random coil to fibril-like and that it took several days for the polymers to relax completely in the slurry. Furthermore, the dispersion state of the slurry changed with the relaxing of the conformation of adsorbed polymers. The results showed that the stretching of adsorbed polymers contributed significantly to the dispersion state of the slurry. The optimum conditions of polymers for the preparation of the slurry are also discussed.