Roger, the zeta potential is dependant on the charge of the colloidal particles when the colloid is at rest, so to speak, not during the generation of it. It does not refer at all to the parameters of the generating process, but to the result at the end of the generating procedure.
Silver is oxidised at around 0.7 Volts above the theoretical reduction potential of hydrogen at a dripping mercury electrode, which is assigned 0 V. This translates to about 2V in reality, for the removal of electrons from silver atoms. The current density is the amount of electrons that can be removed at any moment in time. Real world needs require that current density to be high enough to drive an acceptable rate of ions into solution, but only to the point where this does not interfere with the hydration and dispersion of the ions throughout the solvent, before they aggregate into large particles. The only way to drive this current is to raise the voltage so that an initial current is achieved, and then to lower it progressively as the conductivity of the water increases, to maintain a current judged to be optimum. In this manner it is possible to construct a colloid which is as I said before is made of a loose association of silver ions. A colloid of this arrangement has the highest zeta potential, and so the greatest resistance to flocculation of all, short of removing more than one electron per atom. In short, there is indeed a trade off between generating a colloid of the smallest possible size and not taking excessive time to do so. The zeta potential will be influenced by this compromise but not excessively so. "Zeta Potential vs. Surface Potential The relationship between zeta potential and surface potential depends on the level of ions in the solution. The magnitude of the surface potential is related to the surface charge and the thickness of the double layer. As we leave the surface, the potential drops off roughly linearly in the Stern layer and then exponentially through the diffuse layer, approaching zero at the imaginary boundary of the double layer. The potential curve is useful because it indicates the strength of the electrical force between particles and the distance at which this force comes into play. A charged particle will move with a fixed velocity in a voltage field. This phenomenon is called electrophoresis. The particle's mobility is related to the dielectric constant and viscosity of the suspending liquid and to the electrical potential at the boundary between the moving particle and the liquid. This boundary is called the slip plane and is usually defined as the point where the Stern layer and the Diffuse Layer meet. The Stern Layer is considered to be rigidly attached to the colloid, while the diffuse layer is not. As a result, the electrical potential at this junction is related to the mobility of the particle and is called the zeta potential. Although zeta potential is an intermediate value, it is sometimes considered to be more significant than surface potential as far as electrostatic repulsion is concerned. Zeta potential can be quantified by tracking the colloidal particles through a microscope as they migrate in a voltage field. Regards Ivan. ----- Original Message ----- From: <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, 15 September 2000 15:26 Subject: Re: CS>Oh no! Here Comes ANOTHER Old Chestnut: HVAC CS vs. LVDC CS > In a message dated 9/14/00 7:03:08 PM EST, [email protected] writes: > > << Controlled current LVDC silver generation emitts discrete silver ions > from the anode which then associate into small loosely bonded crystal > structures, probably with a fractal arrangement that increase in size in > distinct steps. The stability of these quantum fractal arrangements is > very high at small sizes due to the high zeta potential (of which charge > density is a function), but at large sizes can quickly aggrigate and > settle out. > Each atom in these structures has lost an electron and so all that is > required to occur in the stomach is for the loose bonds to be disrupted, > for the ions to become bioavailable. >> > > Ivan: Does the zeta potential increase as the current density go down? If it > does, wouldn't the lowest PRACTICAL current density produce the smallest > particles? Roger > -- The silver-list is a moderated forum for discussion of colloidal silver. To join or quit silver-list or silver-digest send an e-mail message to: [email protected] -or- [email protected] with the word subscribe or unsubscribe in the SUBJECT line. To post, address your message to: [email protected] Silver-list archive: http://escribe.com/health/thesilverlist/index.html List maintainer: Mike Devour <[email protected]>
