Effect of alkali metal cations on adsorption of guar gum onto quartz

The effect of cesium, potassium, sodium, and lithium cations on the adsorption of natural guar gum onto quartz was investigated. The role of these ions was analyzed in terms of their water structure-making or -breaking capabilities. In the presence of structure makers (Na+, Li+) the polymer adsorption density did not change compared to the adsorption levels observed in distilled water. However, in dilute solutions (0.01 N) of structure-breaking cations (Cs+, K+) the adsorption density of guar gum significantly increased, with potassium and cesium producing the same adsorption densities of the polymer. The resulting colloidal aggregation/dispersion equilibria in the quartz-guar gum system were discussed and mechanisms of guar gum-quartz interactions were also suggested. Assuming hydrogen bonding to be the driving adsorption mechanism, it was proposed that guar gum molecules compete with water for silanol surface sites. Structure-breaking cations disturb the interfacial water structure around the quartz particles thus allowing the polymer to more closely approach the quartz surface and interact with the surface groups.