Influence of polymer structure on adsorption onto metal surfaces

In mineral processing, the separation of a desired mineral ore from the gangue minerals is often achieved through froth flotation. Hydrophobic particles are collected by air bubbles passing through a slurry of the raw minerals to form a froth on the surface for harvesting. Often, modifications of the material’s hydrophobicity are necessary to avoid flotation of an unwanted mineral and to prevent harmful particle interactions; water-soluble molecules are commonly added to the mineral slurry to alter the wettability of mineral surfaces and change particle-bubble interactions. The effectiveness of these additives depends on the surface coverage, layer thickness, and rigidity of the adsorbed polymer layer. Particularly in the case of polymeric additives, how their structure relates to their adsorption behavior is far from understood. Here, we investigate the role of polymer structure on their adsorption behavior onto metal surfaces and present our preliminary findings.