Factors influencing the adhesion of polystyrene spheres attached to pyrex by polyethyleneimine in aqueous solution

Polystyrene spheres (5 μm in diameter) were deposited onto the inside surface of a glass capillary which was covered with adsorbed polyethyleneimine (PEI). From the flow rates of liquid through the capillary which were required to remove the spheres, sphere-PEI-glass adhesion forces were measured as functions of pH, molecular weight of the PEI, NaCl concentration, deposition time, and the PEI concentration of the solution used to form the …