Abstract
The effects of pH and ionic strength of eluting solutions on the release of kaolinite particles from quartz surfaces were investigated in a packed column. Flowing of eluting solutions of low ionic strength resulted in the release of kaolinite particles regardless of pH, and there was a critical ionic strength above which no release of particles took place. We calculated the double layer potentials with surface potentials (measured or estimated) and the van der Waals potentials to obtain the total interaction potentials between quartz and kaolinite particles. It was found that the critical ionic strength observed relatively agreed with that predicted from the barrier of total interaction potentials.
