Structure of hydroxide flocs

A survey of the literature on floc structure demonstrates that no good structural model for gelatinous hydroxide flocs exists. In this investigation hydrolysing metal salts were used during the coagulation-flocculation of very dilute kaolinite suspensions.The influence of kinetic process parameters on the floc strength is used to prove the validity of a four level organization of hydroxide floc aggregates. The different levels of organization are: primary particles, flocculi, flocs and floc aggregates. The bonds between the particles of the different levels are elastic.