National University of Science and Technology — MISIS, Moscow, Russia:

Yushina T. I., Candidate of Engineering Sciences, Acting Head of Mineral and Waste Material Processing and Treatment Department, yuti62@mail.ru
Popova K. S., Candidate for a Master’s Degree, Mineral and Waste Material Processing and Treatment Department, pk7-77@mail.ru

Innovation Resource Ltd, Moscow, Russia:
Malyshev O. A., Candidate of Engineering Sciences, Chief Executive Officer, malyshev@innores.ru

Shchelkunov S. A., Candidate of Chemical Sciences, Chemistry Project Manager, shchelkunov@innores.ru

One of the key indexes of enhanced efficiency of carbonaceous material flotation process is the search for new reagents and the analysis of their adsorption and flotation capacities towards improvement of flotation performance at reduced power consumption per unit end product owing to increased recovery of valuable components in purposive concentrates. The article describes test data on using reagents of DMIPEK, which is dimethyl(isopropenylethynyl)carbinol, and DK-80 with a view of enhancing flotation of coal slurry and nano-carbon material. Structural features of carbonaceous material and mechanism of its interaction with acetylene alcohols are discussed. Reagents used in coal flotation and issues of flotation of finely dispersed coal are considered. The flotation tests on different grade coal from the Kuznetsk Coal Basin show an increase up to 12% in recovery and yield of valuable components in concentrate as compared with the common reagents. Moreover, the flotation rate becomes 2 times higher. With regard to bonding between DMIPEK and DK-80 reagents and carbonaceous material molecules, the interaction between the reagents, carbonaceous matter and froth bubble is modeled. DMIPEK and DK-80 reagents based on acetylene alcohols have proved the universality and efficiency in flotation of carbonaceous material. Their feature is conditioned by the presence of acetylene and ethylene bonds in the structure, which allows maintaining strong -bonds. Also, the article illustrates feasibility of flotation in separation of carbon nanotubes from ferriferous manganese catalysts using aliphatic and acetylene alcohols. The mechanisms of flotation to separate carbon nanotubes from natural ferriferous manganese ore used as a catalyzing composite with carbon nanotubes grown on its surface are discussed. The most efficient collecting agent and frother in flotation of carbon nanotubes is DK-80 reagent, enabling recovery of 85–92% of carbon nanotubes in froth product.

This study has been carried out in the framework of Fundamental and Applied Research and Development program No. 816, under Government Assignment No. 2014/113.
The authors appreciate participation of I. O. Krylov, Candidate of Engineering Sciences, Mineral and Waste Material Processing and Treatment Department, in this study.

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