Colloid particle adsorption on partially covered (random) surfaces

The random sequential adsorption (RSA) approach was used to model irreversible adsorption of colloid particles at surfaces precovered with smaller particles having the same sign of surface charge. Numerical simulations were performed to determine the initial flux of larger particles as a function of surface coverage of smaller particles theta (s) at various size ratios lambda = alpha (1)/alpha (s). These numerical results were described by an analytical formula derived from scaled particle theory. Simulations of the long-time adsorption kinetics of larger particles have also been performed. This allowed one to determine upon extrapolation the jamming coverage theta (infinity)(1) as a function of the lambda parameter at fixed smaller particle coverage theta (s). It was found that the jamming coverage theta (infinity)(1) was very sensitive to particle size ratios exceeding 4. Besides yielding theta (infinity)(1), the numerical simulations allowed one to determine the structure of large particle monolayers at the jamming state which deviated significantly from that observed for monodisperse systems. The theoretical predictions suggested that surface heterogeneity, e.g., the presence of smaller sized contaminants or smaller particles invisible under microscope, can be quantitatively characterized by studying larger colloid particle adsorption kinetics and structure of the monolayer. (C) 2001 Academic Press.