Frother/collector interactions in thin froth films and flotation

Aqueous thin film studies and surface tension measurements on a mixed surfactant system consisting of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), which was chosen as a model flotation frother, and potassium ethyl xanthate, which was chosen as a model flotation collector, enable the interaction between the two surfactants at the air/solution interface to be elucidated. For the film containing the non-ionic frother, the interface was charged and addition of low concentrations of xanthate acted as a common electrolyte and reduced the thickness of the film, inducing rupture. However, at high xanthate collector concentrations, the negatively charged xanthate was found to interact with the non-ionic PEO causing an accumulation of negative charge at the air/solution interface. Higher frother concentrations were necessary to produce non-rupturing thin films upon increasing the xanthate concentration.