Purification of Colloidal Solutions | Additional Study Material for JEE PDF Download

PURIFICATION OF COLLOIDAL SOLUTIONS

Colloidal solutions prepared by above methods generally contain excessive amount of electrolytes and some other soluble impurities. The presence of traces of electrolyte is essential for the stability of the colloidal solution but larger quantities coagulate it. It is, therefore, necessary to reduce the concentration of these soluble impurities to a requisite minimum. The process used for reducing of these impurities to a requisite minimum is known as purification of colloidal solution. The purification of colloidal solution is carried out by the following methods.

(i) Dialysis: It is a process of removing a dissolved substance from a colloidal solution by means of diffusion through suitable membrane. Since, particles in true solution (ions or smaller molecules) can pass through animal membranes (bladder) or parchment paper or cellophane sheet but colloidal particles do not, the above can be used for dialysis. The apparatus used for this purpose is called dialyser. A bag of suitable membrane containing the colloidal solution is suspended in a vessel through which fresh water is continuously flown figure. The molecules and ions diffuse through the membrane into the outer water and pure colloidal solution is left behind.

(ii) Electro-dialysis : Ordinarily, the process of dialysis is quite slow. It can be made faster by applying an electric field if the dissolved substance in the impure colloidal solution is only electrolyte. The process is then named electro-dialysis. The colloidal solution is placed between two electrodes while pure water is taken in a compartment on each side. Electrodes are fitted in the compartment as shown in figure the ions present in the colloidal solution migrate out to the oppositely charged electrodes.

(iii) Ultrafiltration : Ultrafiltration is the process of separating the colloidal particles from the solvent and soluble solutes present in the colloidal solution by especially prepared filters, which are permeable to all substances except the colloidal particles.

Colloidal particles can pass through ordinary filter paper because the pores are too large. However, the pores of filter paper can be reduced in size by impregnating with colloidion solution and subsequently hardened by soaking in formaldehyde. The usual colloidion is a 4% solution of nitro-cellulose in a mixture of alcohol and ether. An ultrafilter paper may be prepared by soaking the filter paper in a colloidion solution and hardened by formaldehyde and finally drying it. Thus, by using ultrafilter paper, the colloidal particles are separated from rest of the materials. Ultrafiltration is a slow process. To speed up the process, pressure or suction is used.

The colloidal particles left on the ultrafilter paper are then stirred with fresh dispersion medium (solvent) to get a pure colloidal solution.