Abstract: The role of ammonium salt of polyacrylic acid (NH₄-PAA) in the dispersion of nanosized titanium nitride aqueous suspensions was investigated experimentally. Surface chemistry of the suspension was investigated by scanning auger microscopy (SAM). Zeta potential studies show that the isoelectric point of nanosized TiN powders is at pH=3.8 and NH₄-PAA addition results in the shift of isoelectric point from pH=3.8 to pH =2. The adsorption of PAA-NH₄ decreases as pH values increase, because PAA-NH₄ is more negatively dissociated.

Key words: ammonium salt of polyacrylic acid, quantitative adsorption, nano-size titanium nitride