Effective regulation
reagents are essential in low-rank coal flotation
for improving the floatability of ultrafine particles. Polymer regulators
have great potential in the surface modification of ultrafine coal
particles. A novel nonionic polymer, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), is
evaluated in this study to determine its effectiveness as a regulator
in floating ultrafine low-rank coal. Laser particle size analysis
is used to discern both the size distribution of coal particles and
the change in size distribution. Contact angle tests are carried out
to evaluate the wettability of low-rank coal. Surface functional groups
of low-rank coal are analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy,
and the surface interaction energy is tested by X-ray photoelectron
spectroscopy. The results show effective adsorption of PVP and demonstrate
the effects of PVP at the coal surface. The adsorption of PVP changes
the proportion of exposed carbon and oxygen-containing functional
groups on the surface of low-rank coal, regulating the size distribution
of low-rank coal particles in suspension. The success of polyvinylpyrrolidone
as a regulator in low-rank coal flotation is demonstrated, and the
mechanisms by which PVP can affect ultrafine low-rank coal flotation
are elucidated.
The efficient separation of ultrafine coal is a challenging process due to the ultrafine particle size and gangue entrainment. In this study, a polymer, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), was introduced as a regulator for ultrafine coal beneficiation. The addition of PVP improved the combustible recovery of clean coal and decreased the ash content. This effect was also presented by the selectivity index. The regulation mechanism of PVP was investigated using diverse methods. The adsorption tests performed demonstrated the adsorption amount of PVP on coal, kaolinite, and quartz, which were related to the increase in the separation efficiency. A zeta potential analyzer was employed to elucidate the effect of PVP on the electrical properties of ultrafine particles. The results revealed that the electrokinetic potential of mineral was sensitive to the varying PVP concentration. The particle size distribution was observed to value the influence of PVP on the particle behavior, which was tested by a laser particle size analyzer. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to investigate the surface elemental compositions of coal, kaolinite, and quartz, which were regulated by the adsorption of PVP. This research is beneficial to understanding the role of PVP as regulators and provides a basis for the efficient separation of ultrafine coal.
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