In the original, flocculation refers to the destabilization of a suspension by the clumping of small particles to larger ones, but without fusion, owing to small amounts of polymers (e.g., see Lyklema, 1991). Common usage is no longer restricted to polymers, and may involve changes of the electrolyte. However, the mechanisms of destabilization differ where polymers vs electrolytes are considered: polymers are adsorbed and form bridges between particles, whereas electrolyte changes involve ionic strength variations that reduce repulsive forces between particles. Both processes produce clumping of small particles in a suspension to produce larger particles. The total surface area does not essentially change.
Syn., aggregation