BENUE STATE UNIVERSITY, MAKURDI, NIGERIA

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY
SECOND SEMESTER EXAMINATION (2018/2019 SESSION)
CHM 202 (COLLOID & SURFACE CHEMISTRY) CREDIT UNITS: 2
TIME ALLOWED: 2 HOURS DATE: 7TH MARCH 2020

Instructions: Write your serial number on the top right corner of your answer booklet. Answer THREE
questions in total with at least ONE from each section. You MUST not borrow anything from any candidate.
Use of Unfair Means is NOT allowed and that include talking, use of external materials related to the course,
use of a Bluetooth, a mobile phone or any programmable device and other related means.
SECTION A
QUESTION 1
(a) What is a colloidal system? (4 MARKS)
(b) Describe THREE ways through which colloidal systems are purified. (5.5 MARKS)
(c) Show that the terminal velocity UT of a spherical solid particle of diameter d and density ρ1
undergoing sedimentation in a liquid of viscosity η and density ρ2 can be given as:
Δρgd 2
UT =
18η
in which g = acceleration due to gravity and Δρ = ρ1 − ρ2 . (8 MARKS)
(d) A suspension of silica particles (density 2.8 g cm‒3 and radius 2.5 μm) in water is allowed to settle
under gravity in a cylinder at 20 °C. Calculate the time it will take the particle to settle a distance of 30
cm if the viscosity of the suspension is 1.0 × 10 ‒2 g cm‒1 s‒1 and the acceleration of gravity is
9.8 m s −2 . (6 MARKS)
QUESTION 2
(a) What is the difference between: (i) electrophoresis and electroosmosis and (ii) sedimentation, and zeta
potentials? (4 MARKS)
(b) State the DLVO theory and describe how it explains colloidal stability. (3 MARKS)
(c) What is critical coagulation concentration? State the Schulze-Hardy rule of critical coagulation
concentration. (3 MARKS)
(d) Calculate the minimum size for a bubble of water vapour forming 10 cm beneath the surface of water
at 375 K that would remain stable. At this temperature the density of water is 0.998 g cm −3; the surface
tension is 58.5 mN m−1 and the vapour pressure is 108.8 kPa. (7.5 MARKS)
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(e) The diffusion coefficient of a polymeric surfactant in water at 293 K is 4.5 × 10 m s . Estimate its
diffusion in glycerol of viscosity 764 mPa s at 300.5 K. (6 MARKS)
QUESTION 3
(a) What are the differences between hydrophobic, superhydrophobic, and omniphobic surfaces?
(6 MARKS)
(b) The free energy for detaching a particle (radius 8 nm) into the water phase from an air-water interface
of interfacial tension 72 mN m−1 is 1.7×10−18 J. Calculate the three-phase contact angle θ of the
particle at the interface. (6 MARKS)
(c) A thin glass capillary tube (radius r) is inserted into a beaker containing water of density ρ and surface
tension γ so that water rose in the tube to a height h. If the contact angle between the water meniscus
and the tube is θ. Show that
2γ cos θ
h= (6 MARKS)
ρgr
(d) Two straws (radii 2 mm and 3 mm) are inserted vertically into a glass of Heineken beer at 18 °C,
where the surface tension and density are 65 mN m−1 and 0.876 g cm−3, respectively. What is the
difference in the rise height between the two straws, given that the beer wets the straws perfectly?
Leave your answer to two significant figures. (5.5 MARKS)

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 SECTION B
QUESTION 4
(a) Enumerate the limitations of Langmuir isotherm postulates.
(b) One form of Langmuir isotherm equation is
q K C
qe = m L e
1 + K L Ce
(i) Identify each term in the equation with its appropriate unit.
(ii) Outline how qm and KL in the equation can be obtained.
(c) The surface coverage θ data for corrosion inhibition of mild steel sample in H2SO4 at 301 K were
obtained at various concentrations as given in table below.

Concentration /g dm−3 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5

Surface coverage θ 0.2561 0.4668 0.5869 0.6619 0.6903

Show that the data fit the Langmuir isotherm, and hence calculate ΔG for the process.
QUESTION 5
(a) Outline the characteristics of an adsorption system.
(b) Give the Gibbs adsorption isotherm equation for a 1:3 solution system.
(c) Explain the process of micellisation and demonstration how critical micelle concentration can be
obtained using only two physical properties.
(d) Clearly distinguish between physical and chemical adsorption.

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