Interaction and Inhibition Mechanism of Sulfuric Acid with Fluorapatite (001) Surface and Dolomite (104) Surface: Flotation Experiments and Molecular Dynamics Simulations
The natural wettability of apatite and dolomite and the effect of sulfuric acid (H<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub>) and sodium oleate (NaOl) on the floatability and wettability of both minerals were studied using single-mineral flotation and contact angle measurement. The flotation...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-12-01
|
| Series: | Minerals |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/13/12/1517 |
| _version_ | 1797379961017860096 |
|---|---|
| author | Aoao Chen Xuming Wang Qin Zhang |
| author_facet | Aoao Chen Xuming Wang Qin Zhang |
| author_sort | Aoao Chen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The natural wettability of apatite and dolomite and the effect of sulfuric acid (H<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub>) and sodium oleate (NaOl) on the floatability and wettability of both minerals were studied using single-mineral flotation and contact angle measurement. The flotation experiments demonstrated that adding NaOl, apatite, and dolomite had good floatability. After adding H<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub>, the floatability of apatite decreased significantly. H<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub> effectively inhibits apatite flotation. Contact angle measurements show that the use of H<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub> induces a significant difference in surface wettability between apatite and dolomite. The moderate addition of H<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub> can increase the contact angle of dolomite. In order to study the selective inhibition mechanism of H<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub> in phosphorite flotation, molecular dynamics simulations (MDSs) were conducted to investigate the interaction between H<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub> and fluorapatite and dolomite at the atomic–molecular level. The results of MDSs reveal that H<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub> interacts with Ca sites on both fluorapatite and defective dolomite surfaces, hindering the interaction of NaOl with Ca sites on both mineral surfaces. SO<sub>4</sub><sup>2−</sup> ions cannot prevent the interaction of oleate ions with Mg sites on dolomite surface. It is worth mentioning that SO<sub>4</sub><sup>2−</sup> ions occupy the defective vacancies formed due to the dissolution of CO<sub>3</sub><sup>2−</sup> on the surface of dolomite and interact with Ca sites. The remaining H<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub> is subsequently adsorbed onto the surface of dolomite. Experimental and simulation results show that, due to the interaction of H<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub> and NaOl, the surface of apatite can still undergo hydration forming a water molecule layer and maintaining a macroscopic hydrophilic property. In contrast, the oleate ions form an adsorption layer on dolomite transitioning it from a hydrophilic to a hydrophobic state. During the phosphate flotation process, the addition of an appropriate amount of sulfuric acid can further diminish the hydration of the dolomite surface, so that the surface of dolomite is more hydrophobic. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T20:30:35Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0bb44b17f1524c1faa4ad904e170a439 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-163X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T20:30:35Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Minerals |
| spelling | doaj.art-0bb44b17f1524c1faa4ad904e170a4392023-12-22T14:26:38ZengMDPI AGMinerals2075-163X2023-12-011312151710.3390/min13121517Interaction and Inhibition Mechanism of Sulfuric Acid with Fluorapatite (001) Surface and Dolomite (104) Surface: Flotation Experiments and Molecular Dynamics SimulationsAoao Chen0Xuming Wang1Qin Zhang2College of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, ChinaCollege of Mines & Earth Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USAGuizhou Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550001, ChinaThe natural wettability of apatite and dolomite and the effect of sulfuric acid (H<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub>) and sodium oleate (NaOl) on the floatability and wettability of both minerals were studied using single-mineral flotation and contact angle measurement. The flotation experiments demonstrated that adding NaOl, apatite, and dolomite had good floatability. After adding H<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub>, the floatability of apatite decreased significantly. H<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub> effectively inhibits apatite flotation. Contact angle measurements show that the use of H<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub> induces a significant difference in surface wettability between apatite and dolomite. The moderate addition of H<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub> can increase the contact angle of dolomite. In order to study the selective inhibition mechanism of H<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub> in phosphorite flotation, molecular dynamics simulations (MDSs) were conducted to investigate the interaction between H<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub> and fluorapatite and dolomite at the atomic–molecular level. The results of MDSs reveal that H<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub> interacts with Ca sites on both fluorapatite and defective dolomite surfaces, hindering the interaction of NaOl with Ca sites on both mineral surfaces. SO<sub>4</sub><sup>2−</sup> ions cannot prevent the interaction of oleate ions with Mg sites on dolomite surface. It is worth mentioning that SO<sub>4</sub><sup>2−</sup> ions occupy the defective vacancies formed due to the dissolution of CO<sub>3</sub><sup>2−</sup> on the surface of dolomite and interact with Ca sites. The remaining H<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub> is subsequently adsorbed onto the surface of dolomite. Experimental and simulation results show that, due to the interaction of H<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub> and NaOl, the surface of apatite can still undergo hydration forming a water molecule layer and maintaining a macroscopic hydrophilic property. In contrast, the oleate ions form an adsorption layer on dolomite transitioning it from a hydrophilic to a hydrophobic state. During the phosphate flotation process, the addition of an appropriate amount of sulfuric acid can further diminish the hydration of the dolomite surface, so that the surface of dolomite is more hydrophobic.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/13/12/1517fluorapatitedolomitesulfuric acidmolecular dynamics simulation |
| spellingShingle | Aoao Chen Xuming Wang Qin Zhang Interaction and Inhibition Mechanism of Sulfuric Acid with Fluorapatite (001) Surface and Dolomite (104) Surface: Flotation Experiments and Molecular Dynamics Simulations Minerals fluorapatite dolomite sulfuric acid molecular dynamics simulation |
| title | Interaction and Inhibition Mechanism of Sulfuric Acid with Fluorapatite (001) Surface and Dolomite (104) Surface: Flotation Experiments and Molecular Dynamics Simulations |
| title_full | Interaction and Inhibition Mechanism of Sulfuric Acid with Fluorapatite (001) Surface and Dolomite (104) Surface: Flotation Experiments and Molecular Dynamics Simulations |
| title_fullStr | Interaction and Inhibition Mechanism of Sulfuric Acid with Fluorapatite (001) Surface and Dolomite (104) Surface: Flotation Experiments and Molecular Dynamics Simulations |
| title_full_unstemmed | Interaction and Inhibition Mechanism of Sulfuric Acid with Fluorapatite (001) Surface and Dolomite (104) Surface: Flotation Experiments and Molecular Dynamics Simulations |
| title_short | Interaction and Inhibition Mechanism of Sulfuric Acid with Fluorapatite (001) Surface and Dolomite (104) Surface: Flotation Experiments and Molecular Dynamics Simulations |
| title_sort | interaction and inhibition mechanism of sulfuric acid with fluorapatite 001 surface and dolomite 104 surface flotation experiments and molecular dynamics simulations |
| topic | fluorapatite dolomite sulfuric acid molecular dynamics simulation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/13/12/1517 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT aoaochen interactionandinhibitionmechanismofsulfuricacidwithfluorapatite001surfaceanddolomite104surfaceflotationexperimentsandmoleculardynamicssimulations AT xumingwang interactionandinhibitionmechanismofsulfuricacidwithfluorapatite001surfaceanddolomite104surfaceflotationexperimentsandmoleculardynamicssimulations AT qinzhang interactionandinhibitionmechanismofsulfuricacidwithfluorapatite001surfaceanddolomite104surfaceflotationexperimentsandmoleculardynamicssimulations |