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Effect of Sodium and Potassium Ions on the Flotation of Low-Rank Coal in the Presence of Different Collectors: A Theoretical and Experimental Study

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Abstract

Metal cations have significant effects on the flotation of coal and minerals. In this study, the effects of monovalent cations (Na+ and K+) on the flotation of low-rank coal (LRC) were investigated using flotation and particle–bubble attachment experiments and through X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and molecular dynamics simulations. Oleic acid (OA), methyl linoleate (ML), hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC), ricinoleic acid (RA), and kerosene were used as flotation collectors. The flotation experiments revealed that the flotation yields of LRC improved when OA, ML, RA, CTAC, and kerosene were used in pure deionized water. However, flotation was suppressed for these collectors in the presence of K+ and Na+ ions. In contrast, when using CTAC, the flotation yield increased in the presence of these ions. Specifically, the flotation yield increased from 41.24 to 87.03% when 2.0 kg/t CTAC was used in 10 mmol/L NaCl solution. Particle–bubble adhesion experiments and XPS revealed that the hydrophilic groups of CTAC were adsorbed on the LRC surfaces by electrostatic forces, whereas the oxygen-containing functional groups of OA, ML, and RA formed hydrogen bonds with the LRC surface in pure water. Finally, the simulating result revealed that the hydrophobic ends of the OA, ML, and RA collectors hinder the flotation of LRC by adsorbing monovalent cations, whereas the adsorption of monovalent cations on the hydrophobic end of the cationic surfactant (CTAC) promotes flotation via strong electrostatic interactions.

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Data Availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Dr. Hu from Shiyanjia Lab (https://www.shiyanjia.com) for support of XPS and FTIR analysis and all the reviewers who participated in the review, as well as MJ Editor (https://www.mjeditor.com) for providing English editing services during the preparation of this manuscript.

Funding

This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 52264032).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Dalian University, Dalian, 116622, Liaoning, China

    Rongjie Kong

  2. School of Mines and Mechanical Engineering, Liupanshui Normal University, Liupanshui, 553004, Guizhou, China

    Rongjie Kong & Shiwei Wang

  3. School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, 221116, Jiangsu, China

    Dongjiao Gui

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Kong, R., Wang, S. & Gui, D. Effect of Sodium and Potassium Ions on the Flotation of Low-Rank Coal in the Presence of Different Collectors: A Theoretical and Experimental Study. Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration 41, 363–378 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42461-024-00927-1

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