Adsorption Mechanism of Pb2+ Activator for the Flotation of Rutile

作者：Xiao, Wei; Zhao, Hongbo^*; Qin, Wenqing; Qiu, Guanzhou; Wang, Jun^*

来源：Minerals, 2018, 8(7): 266.

DOI：10.3390/min8070266

• rutile activation flotation
• atomic force microscope (AFM)
• activation sites

In general, the flotation of minerals containing titanium needs to be activated by metal ions due to a lack of activating sites on their surface. However, the activating process is indirectly inferred due to the lack of direct experimental observation. In this study, atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to observe the activation process. The results revealed that the hydroxyl compounds of Pb2+ ions were adsorbed on the rutile surface in the form of multiple molecular associates, rather than through single molecule adsorption. Styryl phosphoric acid (SPA) could largely be adsorbed on the activated rutile surface with a single and double layer rather than on the un-activated rutile surface. The results of contact angle measurements also revealed that the hydrophobicity of the activated rutile surface was significantly greater than that of the un-activated rutile surface after SPA was adsorbed. This study will be helpful to understanding the activating process from the microscale.

• 出版日期2018-7
• 单位中南大学