THE EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE ON THE DOUBLE-LAYER DIELECTRIC-RELAXATION IN POLYSTYRENE LATTICES

Dielectric properties of polystyrene latices suspended in aqueous electrolyte solution (10(-4) M NaCl) are investigated at different temperatures in the interval 0 to 50-degrees-C in the frequency range 1kHz-10 MHz, where these charged colloidal systems generally display two distinct dielectric dispersions. The temperature dependence of the dielectric parameters describing the low frequency process is compared with predictions of some well-established theoretical treatments based on counterion polarization models. The observed behavior is consistent with the counterion polarization at the interface with the dispersed particle when the contribution of the diffuse part of the double layer is included.