The Flocculation of Kaolin and Precipitated Calcium Carbonate by Polymers

Abstract

Abstract The subsidence rate of a suspension of kaolin or precipitated calcium carbonate flocculated by polyacrylamide increases with an increase in the intrinsic viscosity of the polymer, and it shows a marked acceleration above an intrinsic viscosity of 5–6. However, in the case of the flocculation of the precipitated calcium carbonate flocculated by sodium polyacrylate, the subsidence rate depends linearly upon the intrinsic viscosity of the polymer. The results have been discussed in terms of Verwey and Overbeek’s theory. The real unperturbed dimension of polyacrylamide has been calculated from the equations proposed by Kurata, Stockmayer and Fixman. As a consequence, it has been suggested that the dimension of a polymer has a close relationship with its flocculation behavior.