In this study, the adsorption mechanisms of dodecylamine hydrochloride(DDAHC), sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate(SDBS), and their mixed anionic/cationic collectors at ten different molar ratios on a muscovite (Mcv) surface in neutral aqueous solution were assessed by molecular dynamics simulations (MDS). According to the snapshot, interaction energy, radial distribution function (RDF), and density profile between the Mcv surface and collector molecules, the individual DDAHC collector was an effective collector for the flotation of Mcv. The molar ratio of anionic/cationic collectors was determined to be an essential factor in the flotation recovery of Mcv. The DDAHC collector was involved in the adsorption of the mixed anionic/cationic collectors on the Mcv (001) surface, whereas SDS and SDBS collectors were co-adsorbed with DDAHC. The mixed cationic/anionic collector showed the best adsorption on the Mcv surface in a molar ratio of 2. Additionally, SDBS, which has one more benzene ring than SDS, was more likely to form spherical micelles with DDAHC, thus resulting in better adsorption on the Mcv surface. The results of micro-flotation experiments indicated that the DDAHC collector could improve the flotation recovery of Mcv in neutral aqueous solution, which was in agreement with MDS-derived findings. In conclusion, DDAHC alone is the optimum collector for Mcv flotation under the neutral aqueous conditions, while the mixture of DDAHC and SDBS collectors (molar ratio = 2:1) exhibits the similar flotation performance.
Keywords: mineral flotation; mixed cationic and anionic collectors; molecular dynamics simulation; muscovite.