ADSORPTION OF OLEIC ACID ON QUARTZ /WATER INTERFACE

The separation of minerals by flotation process became the most current practice in the extractive industries and treatment of ores. It is well known that the separation of the minerals that enters in the ores composition depends of several factors; particle sizes, pH, temperature of conditioning, density of the pulp and adsorption of surfactants. The influence of adsorption of surfactants on solids in contact with aqueous solutions is important for controlling a variety of interfacial processes. The aim of this work was to study the adsorption of oleic acid on the surface of quartz particles. The studies of the strong material required the combination of the chemical treatments to the analytic and spectroscopic techniques (RX- diffraction, FTIR infrared spectroscopy, UV-Visible spectrophotometer). In most cases, the use of information from study by the electronic microscopy MEB proves to be very interesting for the characterization of the interactions and adhesion between the oleic acid /oleate and the chemical surfaces of quartz. The results showed that the oleic acid is adsorbed physically on the surface of quartz. The quantities adsorbed in the distilled water at pH 9.5 prove to be less important in relation to the quantities adsorbed in water doped by calcium and magnesium cations. The results were discussed with reference to the surface characteristic of quartz in aqueous solution and analytic properties of the oleic acid.