Dispersion of ZrO ₂ and Y ₂O ₃ nanopowders in physiological suspensions

The dispersion of suspensions based on nanostructured powders (ZrO2 and Y2O3) and the simplest physiological fluids (phosphate buffering saline, glucose solution, water) in terms of their use in ecotoxicological tests was studied. Using the scanning electron microscopy and laser diffraction, an increase in the size of particles and agglomerates in the suspensions in 2-11 times was shown. The particle size distribution in the suspensions was characterized by a single peak, but its magnitude and width varied ambiguously upon standing suspensions in time. It was shown experimentally that the average size of the dispersed phase could rapidly grow in the DW-suspension, could be stabilized in PBS-suspension and might decrease with time in Gl-suspension. By electro-acoustic method it was shown that the Zeta-potential on the solid/liquid boundary in the study varied over a wide range of values from - 200 to + 200, and the nature of change - a jump. This demonstrated the instability of the suspensions based on NP-ZrO2 and NP-Y2O3.