Correlating surface forces with surface reactivity of gypsum crystals by atomic force microscopy. Comparison with rheological properties of plaster

Abstract Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) was used to image the surface reactivity as well as to characterize quantitatively the surface forces between two gypsum (CaSO 4 , 2H 2 O) crystals. Measurements on different crystal faces, which vary in morphology, structure, hydrophilicity, surface charge, were performed in both air and ionic solutions. In ionic solutions, varying the experimental parameters, the ionic nature and the concentration as well as the duration of the contact leads to the conclusion that the adhesion occurs whatever the orientation of faces. Nevertheless, the magnitude of the adhesion of a physical nature (Van der Waals and ionic correlation) depends on the surface charge d…