Molecular flotation

Flotation is the term used to describe a process in which the species being separated from the bulk liquid media are insoluble particulates. Froth flotation is another one of the two foam separation processes. It also involves the production of foam in a heterogeneous aqueous system, and has a great deal of potential for the water and wastewater treatment. Froth flotation can be subdivided into at least seven categories (42,43,84), including precipitate flotation, ion flotation, molecular flotation, microflotafion, adsorption flotation, ore flotation, macroflotation, and adsorbing colloid flotation. They are described separately below. 

Molecular flotation is very similar to ion flotation, except that the surfactant forms an insoluble complex with a nonsurface-active molecule (i.e., not an ion) and the product is floated out. Because the formation of dipolar complexes molecular flotation is much weaker than that of ion-pair complexes in ion flotation, to date, almost all the work has involved flotation of ions using an oppositely charged surfactant (59). 

Type of flow pattern(s) involved in an adsorptive bubble separation system depends on the type of process used. For example, bubble fractionation involves two-phase (gas-phase and liquid-phase) bubble flow, while solvent sublation involves multiphase bubble flow in their vertical bubble cells. Foam fractionation involves a two-phase bubble flow in the bottom bubble cell, and a two-phase froth flow in the top foam cell. However, all froth flotation processes (i.e., precipitate flotation, ion flotation, molecular flotation, ore flotation, microflotation, adsorption flotation, macroflotation, and adsorbing colloid flotation) involve multiphase bubble flow and multiphase froth flow. 

Natural surface ectivity In assoc ialion with surface-active agents Foam fractionation for example, dete[gents from aqueous solutions Ion flotation, molecular flotation, adsorbing colloid flotation for example, Sr1 +, PtiJ +, Hg2+, cyanides Fnam flotation for example, microurganisms, proteins Microflotation, colloid flotation, ultraflotation for example, particulates in wastewater, clay, microoiganisms Froth flotation of noapolar minerals for example, sulfur Froth flotation For example minerals such as silica Precipitate flotation (1st and 2nd kind) Tor example, ferric hydroxide... 

The lower molecular weight PCTFE oils, waxes, and greases are used as inert sealants and lubricants for equipment handling oxygen and other oxidative or corrosive media. Other uses include gyroscope flotation fluids and plasticizers for thermoplastics. 

Lipoproteins. A lipoprotein is an endogenous macromolecule consisting of an inner apolar core of cholesteryl esters and triglycerides surrounded by a monolayer of phospholipid embedded with cholesterol and apoproteins. The functions of lipoproteins are to transport lipids and to mediate lipid metabolism. There are four main types of lipoproteins (classified based on their flotation rates in salt solutions) chylomicrons, very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL). These differ in size, molecular weight, and density and have different lipid, protein, and apoprotein compositions (Table 11). The apoproteins are important determinants in the metabolism of lipoproteins—they serve as ligands for lipoprotein receptors and as mediators in lipoproteins interconversion by enzymes. 

Vilan A, Cahen D (2002) Soft contact deposition onto molecularly modified GaAs. Thin metal film flotation principles and electrical effects. Adv Funct Mater 12 795-807... 

Single crystal x-ray diffraction studies showed that the crystals of halcinonide recrystallized from tz-propyl alcohol-water azeotrope (79 22) are orthorhombic and belong to the gpace group P2 2 2, with unit ell constants of a = 10.007 A, = 11.875 A ana Q = 19.460 A. Density is 1.330 gm/cm2 3, as measured by flotation in a hexane-carbon tetrachloride gradient. The molecular weight calculated from the unit cell volume and density is 461 daltons (theoretical is 455 daltons). 

Significant improvement in chromium depression has been achieved using depressants from the KM series, representing mixtures of organic acid and low-molecular-weight acrylic acid mixtures. It is, therefore, possible to depress chromium during PGM flotation and at the same time reduce collector consumption. The relationship between the level of collector and level of KM3 depressant is shown in Table 18.9. 

In a large number of oxide flotation plants, sodium silicate (Na2Si03) is used as a gangue depressant. In the past two decades, a new line of depressants has been developed and introduced into a number of operating plants. Some of these depressants include (a) a mixture of sodium phosphate and lignin sulphonate (i.e. depressant 3XD), (b) a mixture of a low-molecular-weight acrylic acid and sodium silicate (depressant 2D) and (c) hydrosol based on the reaction of sodium silicate with alumina sulphate (depressant SD). These depressants were extensively examined on copper oxide ores from the Nchanga mine in Zambia. 

The results obtained indicated that cationic flotation of pyrochlore was not successful. Dispersant AQ4 has a pronounced effect on niobium metallurgical results. Dispersant/ depressant AQ4 is composed of the following individual reagents 60% orthodihydrox-ybenzene (Catacol), 30% low-molecular-weight acrylic acid (Accumer 2400) and 10% hexametapho sphate. 

This book systematically summarizes the researches on electrochemistry of sulphide flotation in our group. The various electrochemical measurements, especially electrochemical corrosive method, electrochemical equilibrium calculations, surface analysis and semiconductor energy band theory, practically, molecular orbital theory, have been used in our studies and introduced in this book. The collectorless and collector-induced flotation behavior of sulphide minerals and the mechanism in various flotation systems have been discussed. The electrochemical corrosive mechanism, mechano-electrochemical behavior and the molecular orbital approach of flotation of sulphide minerals will provide much new information to the researchers in this area. The example of electrochemical flotation separation of sulphide ores listed in this book will demonstrate the good future of flotation electrochemistry of sulphide minerals in industrial applications. 

Chapter 9 Molecular Orbital and Energy Band Theory Approach of Electrochemical Flotation of Sulphide Minerals... 

The Molecular Orbit and Energy Band Discussion of Collectorless Flotation of Galena and Pyrite... 

Liu Runqing, Sun Wei, Hu Yuehua, Xiong Daoling, 2006. Depression mechanism of small molecular mercapto-organic depressants on flotation behaviour of complex sulphides. Chinese Journal of Nonferrous Metals, 16(4) 746 - 751 (in Chinese)... 

---