Cation-induced collapse of low-molecular-weight polyacrylic acid in the dispersion of barium titanate

Observations on the steric layers formed by the adsorption of low-molecular-weight polyacrylic acid (PAA) were taken using the colloidal probe method in an atomic force microscope. The effects of divalent barium ions and of monovalent potassium ions at varying concentrations were observed on the repulsive interaction profiles. High ionic concentrations screened double-layer forces to small distances, whereby the acting forces were reduced to steric interactions. De Gennes scaling theory was used to model the effect of electrolyte on an aqueous barium titanate system, which was stabilized with PAA. The brush model was found to represent the force curves better than the mushroom model. The collapse of PAA layers with increasing salt approximated a grafted polymer brush in monovalent electrolyte, but the addition of barium ions caused markedly less steric collapse. It is suggested that the formation of a Ba(2+)-PAA complex in the adsorbed layer increases its compressibility parameter.