To clarify the role of polymer dispersants at the carbon black (CB) nanoparticle/liquid interface, the adsorbed structure of the dispersants and the interactions between particle surfaces was evaluated using colloid probe AFM. As it is difficult to prepare stable spherical granules consisting of CB nanoparticles with diameters on the scale of several microns, for a colloidal probe by spray drying and sintering, CB nanoparticles were uniformly coated on the surface of spherical resin particles using a physical composing process. In order to establish the mechanism of action of the CB polymer dispersant by using the prepared colloid probe, polyethyleneimine (PEI) and PEI functionalized with a hydrophobic toluoyl group (T-PEI) were compared. It was found that on the adsorption of T-PEI, the viscosity of the aqueous CB suspension and the size of the aggregates were remarkably decreased in acidic conditions. Although the amounts of PEI and T-PEI adsorbed onto the CB were almost the same, a larger repulsive interaction was observed in the case of the T-PEI CB nanoparticle dispersion was promoted by the increase in steric repulsion due to the structure of the adsorbed T-PEI. (C) 2013 The Society of Powder Technology Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. and The Society of Powder Technology Japan. All rights reserved.