PARTICLE SIZE AND ANISOMETRY IN DILUTE DISPERSIONS OF LITHIUM STEARATE IN HYDROCARBONS .

Abstract

A technique has been developed for the preparation of dispersions of lithium stearate suitable for consideration as assemblies of rigid lath-shaped panicles. The particles to end toward a lengthwidth ratio of 10 and a thickness of only 80- 100.4 regardless of length or width, up to lengths of the order of one micron. Change in particle size or shape by recrystallization is negligibly slow in benzene and in n-heptane at room temperatures. This is a consequence of the low solubility which has been estimated electron microscopically as of the order of 10-8 moles per litre in benzene at 30' C. The particles show preferential end-to-end contacting in the formation of flocs and yield a sediment whose volume is much larger than can be ascribed to random packing of primary particles.