Study On Flotation Collectors Of Ilmenite

Flotation recovery of fine ilmenite is a big problem in ilmenite concentration. Flotation reagent is one of the key factors in the process of fine ilmenite flotation recovery. At present, there isn't any special reagent which has strong collecting ability to fine ilmenite. The relationship between structure of collector and its performance and the mechanism of ilmenite flotation with collectors were studied by monomineral flotation test, zeta-potential test, IR analysis, contact angle determination, solution chemistry calculation and collector molecular structure calculation, in order to providing some references to new reagent development, reagent combined use, flotation process optimal regulation of ilmenite flotation. Main study contents and results are shown as follows.Monomineral flotation and theoretical calculation show that collector structure determines its performance. Length of collector alkyl determines its hydrophobic ability. Collecting ability is enhanced when increase of collector alky length increases its hydrophobic ability. Collecting ability of collector to ilmenite is as follows: stearic acid>palmitic acid>myristic acid>lauric acid.Unsaturated degree of collector alkyl determines its solubility characteristics. When unsaturated degree increases, collector is easy to dissolve and dispersed in the solution, so the ability react with mineral is enhanced. Collecting ability of collector to ilmenite is as follows: linoleic acid>oleic acid>stearic acid.Structure of collector polar group determines its reaction activity. The chemical reaction activity of collector molecule is as follows: alkyl carboxylic acid>alkyl hydroxamic acid>alkyl arsenic acid>alkyl phosphonic acid>alkyl sulfonic acid>alkyl sulfuric acid. The chemical reaction activity of collector ion is as follows: alkyl hydroxamic acid>alkyl arsenic acid>alkyl phosphonic acid>alkyl carboxylic acid>alkyl sulfonic acid>alkyl sulfuric acid.Geometric size of collector molecule determines its selectivity. Selectivity of liner chain alkyl collector is as follows: hydroxamic acid>arsenic acid>phosphonic acid>sulfuric acid≈sulfonic acid>carboxylic acid. Branched chain increases its selectivity: benzyl hydroxamic acid>alkyl hydroxamic acid, benzyl arsenic acid>alkyl arsenic acid, styryl phosphonic acid>alkyl phosphonic acid. Double bond decreases its selectivity: stearic acid>oleic acid>linoleic acid>linolenic acid.Combined use of collectors show that there is good synergistic effect when sodium oleate combined use with benzyl hydroxamic acid, benzyl arsenic acid, styryl phosphonic acid and collector combined use with non-polar oil. There are synergistic effects efficiency complement, co-adsorption and combining adsorption etc.Mineral surface property study show that collectors combined use and adding of non-polar increased its surface contact angle with ilmenite and increased its collecting ability. Chemical adsorption happened when sodium oleate react with ilmenite, benzyl hydroxamic acid can chemically adsorb on ilmenite surface and can produce ring chelate complexes with metal ion.Solution chemistry calculation show that when ilmenite flotation use sodium oleate and benzyl hydroxamic acid, collector adsorb on ilmenite surface in the form of ion-molecule associated complex and ion-molecule co-adsorption, which are the main components collectors react with ilmenite.