Page 191 - Introduction to Colloid and Surface Chemistry

180 Charged interfaces

\lt = (l/ 0 exp[-»o:] (7.7)

which shows that at low potentials the potential decreases exponen-
tially with distance from the charged surface. Close to the charged
surface, where the potential is likely to be relatively high and the
Debye-Hiickel approximation inapplicable, the potential is predicted to
decrease at a greater than exponential rate.
The potential fa can be related to the charge density cr 0 at the
surface by equating the surface charge with the net space charge in

the diffuse part of the double layer i.e. cr 0 = - pdr j and applying
\ Jo /
the Poisson-Boltzmann distribution. The resulting expression is

ob = (SnackTf* sinh — (7.8)
2*7
which at low potentials reduces to

= eKfa (7.9)
cr 0
The surface potential fa, therefore, depends on both the surface
charge density cr 0 and (through K) on the ionic composition of the
medium. If the double layer is compressed (i.e. K increased), then
either cr 0 must increase, or fa must decrease, or both.
In many colloidal systems, the double layer is created by the
adsorption of potential-determining ions; for example, the potential
fa at the surface of a/silver iodide particle depends on the
concentration of silver (and iodide) ions in solution. Addition of inert
electrolyte increases K and results in a corresponding increase of
surface charge density caused by the adsorption of sufficient
potential-determining silver (or iodide) ions to keep fa approximately
constant. In contrast, however, the charge density at an ionogenic
surface remains constant on addition of inert electrolyte (provided
that the extent of ionisation is unaffected) and fa decreases.
From equation (7.9) it can be seen that, at low potentials, a diffuse
double layer has the same capacity as a parallel plate condenser with
a distance I/K between the plates. It is customary to refer to l/*c (the
distance over which the potential decreases by an exponential factor
at low potentials) as the 'thickness' of the diffuse double layer.