Facile determination of foamability index of non-ionic and cationic frothers and its effect on flotation of quartz

ABSTRACT

In this work, a facile method for determination of foaming properties of frothers was used. It was based on measuring the foam height in a flotation machine at different concentrations of frothers. Based on the foam height-concentration curve, a new foaming parameter, so-called concentration at half of the maximum foam height CMH, was proposed. Assessment and usefulness of CMH were shown in flotation of quartz. The concentration of amine at the critical contact angle CCA, at which amine starts to be a collector, was also determined. The determined values of CCA were similar to CMH and were equal to 1.3, 0.14 and 0.03 mM for ButNH₂, HexNH₂ and OctNH₂, respectively. The values of CMH and CCA depended on the alkyl chain of frothers.

KEYWORDS:

• Foamability
• frother
• foam height
• flotation
• quartz

Acknowledgments

Authors thank Prof. Jan Drzymala (Wroclaw University of Science and Technology) for his help in many aspects of this paper.

Funding

The work was financed by the Polish Statutory Research Grant (No. 0401/0121/16).

Additional information

Funding

The work was financed by the Polish Statutory Research Grant (No. 0401/0121/16).