Surface chemical studies on the competitive adsorption of poly(ethylene glycol) and ammonium poly(methacrylate) onto alumina

The adsorption of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and ammonium poly(methacrylate) (APMA) onto alumina has been examined both individually and in combination. The adsorption density of APMA was found to be higher than that of PEG onto alumina. The adsorption isotherms of PEG and APMA for alumina exhibited a Langmuirian behavior. The adsorption density of PEG was significantly reduced in the presence of APMA, but the reverse was not true. About 60% desorption of PEG from alumina was achieved, while in the case of APMA the amount desorbed was only 10% in the pH range of 3-6. The zeta potential values of alumina were decreased and the isoelectric point (i.e.p.) values were shifted toward acidic pH values, proportional to the concentration of APMA added. However, such changes in the electrokinetic behavior were not observed by the addition of PEG. The dispersion behavior of alumina in the combined presence of PEG and APMA essentially followed the trends obtained for the alumina-APMA system, corroborating the electrokinetic measurements. Coprecipitation tests confirmed complexation between aluminum species and APMA in the bulk solution, but not with PEG. The interaction between alumina and PEG is primarily governed by hydrogen-bonding forces, while both hydrogen bonding and chemical interaction are involved in the case of the alumina-APMA system. FTIR spectroscopic studies provided evidence in support of the interaction mechanisms proposed.