Colloid aggregation induced by oppositely charged polyions

The “polymer reference interaction site model” (PRISM) integral equation formalism is used to determine the pair structure of binary colloidal dispersions involving large and small polyions of opposite charge. Two examples of such bidisperse suspensions are considered in detail, namely mixtures of charged spherical colloids and oppositely charged polyelectrolyte chains, and binary mixtures of oppositely charged large and small clay platelets. In both cases clear evidence is found for aggregation of the larger particles induced by the polyionic counterions, signalled by a strong enhancement of long wavelength concentration fluctuations.