zeta potential

This term is a specialized technical expression used primarily in colloid chemistry, pharmacology, and materials science. It describes the electrical charge at the slipping plane of a particle, which determines whether particles in a liquid will attract or repel one another. A high absolute zeta potential indicates a stable suspension because the strong electrostatic repulsion prevents particles from aggregating.

In a laboratory or industrial context, the term is almost always used as an uncountable noun referring to a specific physical property. It is typically paired with verbs like measure, determine, or optimize to describe the process of ensuring the stability of emulsions or nanoparticle dispersions.