Attachment interaction between air bubbles and particles in froth flotation

Abstract

Direct quantitative measurements of the particle trajectories on the surface of an air bubble were obtained using a CCD high-speed video camera system. Rupture of the intervening water film between the hydrophobic particle and air bubble surfaces with the consequent formation of a three-phase contact was observed. Surface forces had little effects on the motion of the particles with a water film over the bubble surface until the film rupture occurred. The bubble–particle sliding attachment interaction is not satisfactorily described by the available theory. The corrections to the available attachment models were discussed.