Anisotropic surface features of selected phyllosilicates

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Publication Type dissertation
School or College College of Mines & Earth Sciences
Department Metallurgical Engineering
Author Yin, Xihui
Title Anisotropic surface features of selected phyllosilicates
Date 2012-08
Description The phyllosilicate minerals are very important in geology, agriculture, and a wide range of industries. It has been known that almost all the processes in mineral processing are significantly influenced by the surface properties of the phyllosilicates. Therefore, the objective of this research is to investigate the anisotropic surface properties of selected phyllosilicates using both experimental and theoretical methods. A new technique based on atomic force microscopy (AFM) was developed to determine the anisotropic wetting characteristics of kaolinite basal surfaces. The hydrophobicity was determined by the magnitude of the hydrophobic attraction force between a hydrophobic diamond-like-carbon (DLC) AFM tip and the kaolinite basal surfaces. The results demonstrate that the kaolinite silica face has a moderate degree of hydrophobicity, whereas the kaolinite alumina face is hydrophilic. The hydrophobicity of the kaolinite silica face is found to be weaker than the talc basal surface, which may be due to the presence of isomorphous substitutions. Using molecular dynamics simulation (MDS), it is noted that the wetting characteristics and the interfacial water structure of the silica tetrahedral surface of phyllosilicates are greatly affected by the isomorphous lattice substitution. In addition, the surface charging behaviors of chlorite basal plane surfaces and the edge surface were established as a function of pH. It is expected that the findings from this dissertation research will provide a basis for understanding the behavior of layered silicate particles in flotation systems, leaching systems, and tailing disposal systems.
Type Text
Publisher University of Utah
Subject Anisotropic surface features; Atomic force microscopy; AFM
Subject LCSH Phyllosilicates -- Surfaces; Anisotropy
Dissertation Institution University of Utah
Dissertation Name Doctor of Philosophy
Language eng
Rights Management Copyright © Xihui Yin 2012
Format Medium application/pdf
Format Extent 4,733,345 bytes
Identifier etd3/id/1780
Source Original in Marriott Library Special Collections, TN7.5 2012 .Y56
ARK ark:/87278/s6wm1v7n
Setname ir_etd
ID 195469
Reference URL https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6wm1v7n