Research on the flotation efficiency of alcohol/ether alcohol frothers for common collectors: Insight of molecular dynamics simulations

To explore the influence of alcohol/ether alcohol frother on the flotation efficiency of common collector dodecane, the molecular dynamics simulation method was used to study the influence of the type and concentration of frother on the microscopic interaction mechanism between the collector and the coal surface, which was verified by the flotation test. The research shows that in a single reagent system, weak hydrogen bond was the main way of interaction between polar groups of two frothers and oxygen-containing functional groups on coal surface The hydrogen bond effect in ether alcohol system was stronger than that in 2-ctanol system, and the dispersion force between the carbon chain of the reagent and the coal surface was stronger when ether alcohol was adsorbed on the coal surface. In the mixed reagent system, both kinds of frothers can promote dodecane spreading on the coal surface for adsorption, and the synergism of ether alcohol was better. The dodecane can promote the adsorption of polar groups of ether alcohol on the coal surface while the ether alcohol formed weak hydrogen bonds with the coal surface, thus increasing the hydrophobic modification of the polar groups on the coal surface. Excessive frother concentration would reduce the hydrophobicity of the coal surface, which was accompanied by poor adsorption of the reagent. The flotation verification test results were consistent with the regularity obtained from molecular dynamics simulation. The research provides theoretical guidance for the development of flotation reagents from the micro level.