Growth of Monodispersed Colloids by Aggregation of Nucleating Subunits

Abstract

Formation of monodispersed colloidal particles is a complex process: nuclei, produced rapidly in a supersaturated solution, grow to nanosize primary particles, which then aggregate (coagulate) to form much larger final colloids. This paper reviews a kinetic model that explains the formation of dispersions of narrow size distribution in such processes. Numerical simulations of the kinetic equations, with experimental model parameter values, are reported. The model was tested for a system involving formation of uniform spherical gold particles. The calculated average size, the width of the particle size distribution, and the time scale of the process, agreed semiquantitatively with the experimental values.