Tritium exchange studies on metal oxide colloidal dispersions

Abstract

The tritium exchange technique has been used to detemine the maximum number of surface protons at the oxide-water interface for oxide colloids including silicas, TiO₂ (rutile) and the iron oxides goethite, hematite and amorphous iron oxide. The effects of heat treatment, crystal structure and exchange conditions are considered and tritium exchange values for the number of surface protons are compared with values calculated from crystal structures.