Colloidal Stability

Particles in a dispersion may adhere together and form aggregates of increasing size which may settle out due to gravity
An initially formed aggregate is called a FLOC and its formation FLOCCULATION - this process is reversible (DEFLOCCULATION)
If the aggregate changes to a much denser form it is said to undergo COAGULATION - this process is irreversible
In the 1940s Derjaguin, Verway, Landau and Overbeek developed a theory which dealt with colloidal stability (DVLO)