Sedimentation of fine colloidal particles adsorbed onto a long polymer chain

A system containing aggregates composed of several fine colloidal particles attached to a single very long polymer molecule is considered. It is shown that the sedimentation equilibrium of the system depends on the extent of restriction over the Brownian motions of particles. On the basis of analysis of sedimentation equilibrium, a simple stability model for such systems is developed. The model elucidates the deterioration of the ability of ultralarge polymers to flocculate fine suspensions.