Question

What is meant by the term peptization?

What is peptization? Give two examples.

Answer 1

Peptization is the process of converting a freshly prepared precipitate into a colloidal solution by adding a suitable electrolyte called a peptizing agent. This electrolyte causes the precipitate particles to disperse into the colloidal state by inducing electrostatic repulsion among them. For example, adding ferric chloride to ferric hydroxide precipitate forms a colloidal solution of ferric hydroxide. Another example, adding silver nitrate to silver chloride precipitate results in the formation of colloidal silver chloride.