ISSN:
1435-1536
Keywords:
Key words Latex particles
;
Aggregates
;
Fractal dimensions
;
Image analysis
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Chemistry and Pharmacology
,
Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Production Engineering, Mining and Metallurgy, Traffic Engineering, Precision Mechanics
Notes:
Abstract The fractal nature of latex particles and their aggregates was characterised by image analysis in terms of fractal dimensions. The one- and two-dimensional fractal dimensions, D 1 and D 2, were estimated for polystyrene latex aggregates formed by flocculation in citric acid/phosphate buffer solutions. The dimensional analysis method was used, which is based on power law correlations between aggregate perimeter, projected area and maximum length. These aggregate characteristics were measured by image analysis. A two-slopes method using cumulative size distributions of aggregate length and solid volume has been developed to determine the three-dimensional fractal dimension (D 3) for the latex aggregates. The fractal dimensions D 1, D 2 and D 3 measured for single latex particles in distilled water agreed well with D 1 = 1, D 2 = 2 and D 3 = 3 expected for Euclidean spherical objects. For the aggregates, the fractal dimension D 2 of about 1.67 ± 0.04 (±standard deviation) was comparable to the fractal dimension D 3 of approximately 1.72 ± 0.13 (±standard deviation), taking the standard deviations into account. The measured three-dimensional fractal dimension for latex aggregates is within the fractal dimension range 1.6–2.2 expected for aggregates formed through a cluster-cluster mechanism, and is close to the D 3 value of about 1.8 indicated for cluster formation via diffusion-limited colloidal aggregation.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s003960050388
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