Hydrophobic Particles Research Articles

Enhanced Flotation Separation of Iron and Silicon with Branched Block Polyethylene Oxide Polypropylene Oxide and Sodium Oleate: Mechanisms and Flotation Behavior

This study explores the strengthening mechanism of the surfactant branched block polyethylene oxide–polypropylene oxide (BB-PEO-PPO) in sodium oleate (NaOL) flotation systems. A comprehensive characterization of BB-PEO-PPO was performed using flotation experiments, contact angle measurements, surface tension analysis, zeta potential measurements, infrared spectroscopy, and foam dynamics assessments. Flotation results showed that the combination of BB-PEO-PPO and NaOL improved iron recovery by 2.71% and reduced the total iron (TFe) grade in tailings by 2.05%, demonstrating a significant enhancement in collecting efficiency. The addition of BB-PEO-PPO effectively reduced foam size and lowered the zeta potential on the surface of activated quartz. At a slurry temperature of 15 °C, BB-PEO-PPO increased the solubility of NaOL radicals, facilitating their chemical adsorption onto activated quartz and improving the hydrophobicity of quartz particles. Notably, the presence of BB-PEO-PPO extended the flotation foam discharge time (D50) by 50% without substantially increasing foam volume, thereby significantly enhancing foam stability.

An Update on Theoretical and Metrological Aspects of the Surface Hydrophobicity of Virus and Virus-Like Particles.

Viruses are biological entities embodied in protein-based nanoparticles devoid of metabolic activity. Hence, the colloidal, interfacial, and chemical reactivity of virus particles (VPs) profoundly affects the fate of natural and artificial viruses in biotic or abiotic aqueous systems. These rely on the physical chemistry at the outer surface of VPs. In other words, whether wild or synthetic VPs and regardless of the scientific fields involved, taming viruses implies thus managing the physical chemistry at the VP external surface. The surface hydrophobicity (SH) of VPs is a critical feature that must be looked at. Still, the literature dealing with nanoscale hydrophobic domains at the proteinaceous surface of VPs underlying their global SH is like a fragmented puzzle. This article provides an overview of the topic from the perspective of modern protein biophysics for updating the classic physicochemical picture of outer VP/water interfaces hitherto accepted. Patterns of non-polar and "false-polar" patches, expressing variable hydrophobic degrees according to neighboring polar patches, are now drawn. The extensive discussion of reviewed data generates such fresh ideas to explore in the coming years for better modeling the SH of wild virions or engineered virus-based nanoparticles, paving the way for new directions in fundamental virology and virus-based chemistry.

Organic polymer composite with inorganic SiO2 particles for mechanical robustness and self-cleaning anti-reflective coatings

Anti-reflective coatings prepared from SiO2 nanoparticles have excellent anti-reflective properties, but the coating's poor mechanical properties and low self-cleaning performance limit its practical application. In this work, SiO2 nanoparticles were modified into hydrophobic particles using surface modification, and then organic polymer were added as a binder to formulate SiO2 sols, which were coated onto a glass substrate to form a anti-reflective coating. The coating can enable the glass substrate to achieve a transmittance of 99.1 % at 580 nm, and it can increase the average transmittance of the glass substrate from 89.6 % to 96.2 % in the 400–1100 nm band. In addition, the coatings prepared from hydrophobic SiO2 nanoparticles composite organic polymers have a water contact angle of 136°, resulting in good self-cleaning properties. The organic polymers can connect the SiO2 nanoparticles together, increasing the mechanical properties of the coating. This multifunctional anti-reflective coating with high transmittance, good mechanical properties and self-cleaning is beneficial in many applications, such as photovoltaic glass, architectural glass, displays and more.

PTFE layer formation during brush electroplating of nickel

Brush electrodeposition of Ni/PTFE composite coatings was explored using a nickel high speed solution and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) particles 6–9 μm in diameter. A novel bilayer-like, partially intercalated structure was produced, consisting of a rough nickel sublayer covered by an outer, compact, smooth PTFE layer. The study of the coating growth revealed that the PTFE particles bind together on the nickel coating valleys and grow until all the surface is covered by a polymer layer without the need of a baking stage. The resulting coating presents a hydrophobic surface with a low coefficient of friction (0.10) and higher corrosion resistance to salt spray testing than the nodular nickel coating. The coatings were produced using an aqueous nickel plating solution, where the hydrophobic PTFE particles were suspended using different substances: cetrimonium bromide (CTAB) cationic surfactant, isopropyl alcohol premixed with the particles, and ethanol premixed with the particles. High concentrations of the suspending products were detrimental for the deposition process, but optimal values of 0.1 g/l, 3 ml/l and 3 ml/l respectively were found. All compounds successfully suspended the PTFE particles and both alcohols produced the Ni/PTFE coating described before, but the CTAB failed to co-deposit the polymer.

Development and performance evaluation of hydrophobic association plugging agents for sealing formation prior to cementing

This study introduces a novel blocking agent composed of polymerized hydrophobic particles to address the challenge of sealing formations with heterogeneous permeability. These particles display high viscosity and adsorption capabilities, essential for sealing highly permeable formations effectively. Hydrophobic associative polymers (AMSN) were prepared using free radical micellar polymerization, grounded in hydrophobic association principles and molecular design. Optimal monomer ratios and synthesis procedures were identified through the observation of the polymers’ apparent viscosity in aqueous solutions. Characterization of the polymers involved Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and fluorescence analysis to assess their temperature and salt resistance, reduction in filtrate loss, and blocking abilities. The polymers, containing hydrophobic groups at 300 mg/L concentrations, demonstrated excellent temperature resistance, maintaining 50% of their original viscosity at 95 °C, and sustained effectiveness in 50 g/L salt solutions, surpassing conventional polymers like HPAM. The sealing effect of this hydrophobic conjugated polymer on cracks with different openings can effectively solve the leakage problem. It addresses the need for effective plugging in heterogeneous formation with uncertain leak channel dimensions. Therefore, this study is of great significance for solving cementing leakage, especially for oil and gas reservoir protection in non-homogeneous reservoirs.

Tunable Topological Wetting State of Water Droplets on Planar Surfaces: Closed-Loop Chemical Heterogeneity by Design.

Understanding droplet wetting on surfaces has broad implications for surface science and engineering. Here, we report a joint theoretical/experimental study of the topological wetting states of water droplets on chemically heterogeneous closed-loop and planar surfaces. Interestingly, we provide both simulation and experimental evidence of biloop or even multiloop transition wetting states of water droplets. Specifically, in our molecular dynamics simulations, we designed surfaces patterned with alternating closed-loop superhydrophilic and hydrophobic nanobands. On these surfaces, we find that the contact shape and contact angle of water nanodroplets can be tailored by changing the shape of the nanobands. Overall, the contact angle of the droplets is dependent on the initial location of the water droplet, the interaction between the water molecules and hydrophobic particles, and the width of the superhydrophilic and hydrophobic nanobands. The wetting-state transition dynamics is also dependent on the nanoband shape. In the biloop or multiloop transition wetting states, the three-phase contact line is not limited to only one loop nanoband but can be located at two or more distinct loops. Guided by the simulation results, the corresponding experiments confirmed the presence of topological wetting states and multiloop wetting states on planar chemically heterogeneous surfaces with closed-loop microbands. Importantly, we provide an explanation of the mechanism of the topological wetting state formation and transition. Our study facilitates a deeper understanding of the droplet-surface interactions and offers an alternative way to tune the droplet shape and contact angle on planar surfaces by engineering chemically heterogeneous surface textures.

Impact of laterally mobile surface charge on diffusiophoresis of hydrophobic rigid colloids

The diffusiophoresis of charged hydrophobic nanoparticles (NPs) governed by an imposed ionic concentration gradient is analysed. The main objective is to elucidate the impact of the laterally mobile adsorbed surface ions at the interface on the propulsion of the hydrophobic NPs in diffusiophoresis. In addition, the dielectric polarization due to the difference in dielectric constant between the NPs and the suspension medium is also considered. The mobile surface ions create a friction as well as an electric force at the hydrophobic surface, which leads to a modification of the slip velocity condition and the slip length. We obtain an exact numerical solution of the governing electrokinetic equations in their full form by adopting a control volume formulation. The numerical model is supplemented by analytical solutions derived based on the Debye–Hückel linearization. We find that the lateral mobility of the surface ions obstruct the coions to diffuse from the higher concentration side to the lower concentration side, which results in a repulsive force to the particle leading to the occurrence of a negative mobility. Based on the numerical results and analytical solutions, we have shown that for a fully mobile surface charge, the diffusiophoresis of a hydrophobic NP is identical to the diffusiophoresis of a liquid droplet whose viscosity is related to the slip length of the hydrophobic particle. We establish that the dielectric polarization enhances the velocity of a hydrophobic particle, which has potential applications in the practical context.

Dynamics of particle entrainment for glass particles suspended in various fluids

The frictional properties of two sliding surfaces are often influenced by a fluid lubricant’s ability to separate and facilitate movement. When particles are present, their entrainment between surfaces can alter friction, either increasing or decreasing it compared to fluid lubrication alone. Understanding the frictional regimes and the dynamics driving particle entrainment in suspensions is thus critical. This study investigates the tribological properties of glass particles suspended in various fluid matrices. We examined suspensions with varying particle concentrations, fluid viscosities, fluid hydrophobicity, and particle hydrophobicity. Our findings reveal that particle lubrication dominates under the following conditions: (I) high particle concentrations, (II) high fluid viscosities, (III) strong particle – surface interactions, and (IV) weak fluid – particle interactions. These insights are crucial for applications in food science, biomedical industries, and pharmaceuticals, where controlling particle friction is essential for optimizing consumer satisfaction and ensuring the performance and safety of lubricants in medical devices.

Analysis of difficult flotation mechanisms for coarse low-rank coal: Comparing fluidized-bed and mechanical flotation technologies

Efficient flotation of coarse low-rank coal is essential for enhancing energy utilization in the mineral processing industry. As the beneficiation equipment scales up, the precision of particle size classification before flotation decreases, leading to a higher coarse particle content in the feed, which poses significant challenges to traditional flotation processes. Recent advancements in fluidized bed flotation technology have demonstrated considerable advantages in the flotation of coarse-grained metallic minerals; however, its application to coarse low-rank coal remains relatively unexplored. This study investigates the potential of fluidized bed flotation technology for coarse low-rank coal, employing various analytical methods to elucidate difficult flotation mechanisms. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were utilized to comprehensively characterize the surface morphology and chemical composition of coal samples. The influence of increasing particle size on flotation performance was systematically assessed through measurements of induction time and critical detachment amplitude. Comparative flotation experiments were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of traditional mechanical flotation against fluidized bed flotation technologies. Results indicate that the presence of cracks and oxygen-containing functional groups on the coal surface significantly enhances hydrophilicity, hindering flotation recovery rates. With increasing particle size, the induction time between particles and bubbles lengthens, while the critical detachment amplitude decreases, weakening the attachment and increasing detachment likelihood. Although high-efficiency collectors enhance coal particle hydrophobicity, they cannot fully mitigate the turbulence disrupting bubble-particle interactions in mechanical flotation. Conversely, fluidized bed flotation effectively minimizes turbulence interference, leading to an approximate 40 % increase in the recovery rate of coarse low-rank coal (0.25–1.00 mm) compared to traditional mechanical flotation. This study presents a novel technological approach for the efficient recovery of coarse low-rank coal, contributing to the clean utilization of low-rank coal resources.

Dual-functionalized ORMOSIL nanoparticles to enhance superhydrophobicity of epoxy based coatings

Organically modified silica (ORMOSIL) nanoparticles bearing fluoro-octyl and glycidoxy-propyl groups were prepared by two simple methods: i) modification of silica (SiO2) nanoparticles with the corresponding organo-silanes and ii) sol-gel process involving tetraethoxy-silane in the presence of the organo-silanes. These hydrophobic ORMOSIL particles were mixed with epoxy resin/amino-based hardener in 2-propanol medium and sprayed on the surface of carbon-steel substrate. The epoxy coating containing ORMOSIL prepared by modification of SiO2 nanoparticle presented outstanding water repellence with water contact angle (WCA) of ≈ 162° and high roll-off ability of the water droplets. Furthermore, excellent adhesion to the substrate was evidenced by sandpaper abrasion and tape peeling test. The effect of the solid content in the 2-propanol dispersion on the superhydrophobicity character was investigated. It was observed that the spray dispersion with higher solid concentration resulted in better superhydrophobicity response, mechanical durability and effective self-cleaning behavior. The hierarchical structure and roughness were identified by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The coatings presented in this work are strong candidates for large scale production due to the low-cost and simplicity of the spraying technique and the economically feasibility of the involved compounds.

Impregnate Carbonation: CO2-Guided In Situ Growth of Robust Superhydrophobic Structures on Concrete Surfaces.

Superhydrophobic surfaces applying on concrete can greatly improve the durability of concrete by preventing the damage from water. However, traditional design of superhydrophobic concrete surfaces by external coating encounters to problems of flaking and poor surface robustness, while that by adding hydrophobic agents or particles faces the challenges of strength damage of concrete. Drawing inspiration from the carbonation phenomenon of concrete, here a new design of in situ growing superhydrophobic structures on concrete is proposed: The concrete sample is impregnated into Mg2+-containing silane-water system with continuous CO2 injection. The contact angle of the concrete surface achieves 171.9° without obvious strength decrease after 120 min, which are mainly attributed to the formation of CaxMg1-xCO3 crystals with micro-nano-structures and the reduction of carbonates surface energy by silane. This superhydrophobic concrete structure can be divided into a superhydrophobic-hydrophobic-hydrophilic three layers structure, providing the stable water-proof protection under mechanical fatigue, capillary water absorption, UV aging, sulfate attack, and impurity water impact tests due to the in situ growing robust superhydrophobic structures. Furthermore, it captures 29.80gm-2 CO2 during the reaction process, providing new insights for the design and preparation of eco-friendly superhydrophobic concrete.

Application of commercial sand aggregates in hydrophobized hydraulic concrete materials

Because precursors such as sand are generally accessible, concrete has become a widely used construction material. Not all available sands, however, fulfill the requirements of purity, granulometry, shape and porosity for use in concrete materials. Here we report the setting of the hydrophobicity of hydraulic concrete matrices prepared with commercial sands and hydrophobic silica particles (dodecyl-modified silica) added to their mixtures. The granulometry and porosity of the selected fine aggregates were confirmed to influence the water absorption of hydrophobized concrete matrices. Water absorption decreased more than 30 % on addition of silica hydrophobized with dodecyl. As the functionalization was performed from the mix prepared with commercial sands, an improved hydrophobicity of the materials was provided integrally to the matrix.

Dynamics of non-Newtonian droplets eccentrically impacting hydrophobic spherical surfaces

In this study, the dynamic behaviors of non-Newtonian fluid droplets with shear-thinning properties eccentrically impacting hydrophobic particle surfaces are investigated through a combination of numerical simulations and experiments. The simulation integrates the dynamic contact angle and a non-Newtonian fluid power-law model within the volume of fluid model framework. The effects of apparent viscosity (η), impact velocity (v0), and dimensionless eccentricity parameter (B) on the dynamic behaviors of non-Newtonian droplets are analyzed. Furthermore, the study offers insight into the progression of pressure distribution, kinetic energy, and liquid viscosity across droplets during the entire impact process. An energy balance analysis, which includes kinetic energy, surface energy, potential energy, and viscous dissipation, is employed to elucidate the fundamental physical mechanisms that govern the dynamics of eccentric impacts of non-Newtonian droplets. Finally, a model (Recr D* = −95.7 + 11 450.6e−B/0.18) is proposed to predict the adhesion or detachment of shear-thinning droplets eccentrically impacting hydrophobic particle surfaces.

The origin of interparticle aggregation: Probing the long-range hydrophobic forces between particles induced by nanobubbles in aqueous solutions

The processes of particle–particle collision, adhesion, and detachment are omnipresent in the solid particle separation and purification processes. Nanobubbles, serving as a critical medium for interactions between particles, play a pivotal role in numerous fields of separation and purification such as mineral flotation, hydrometallurgy, chemical engineering, materials, and more. The elucidation of the principles governing nanobubbles’ involvement in interparticle interactions holds significant implications for enhancing and controlling separation and purification processes. The impact of nanobubbles on interparticle interactions between calcite particles was investigated in this study by measuring the forces between particles with and without nanobubbles and analysing them using DLVO and EDLVO theories. The experimental results demonstrate the occurrence of long-range attractive forces and significant adhesion between particles in the presence of nanobubbles under natural pH and ultrapure water conditions, phenomena that cannot be explained by classical DLVO theory. The generation of long-range hydrophobic attraction at the particle interface due to nanobubbles was confirmed through further EDLVO calculations and modifications, enhancing the stability of particle flocculation. Additionally, for the first time, the entire process from contact to detachment between the “particle-nanobubble” system in atomic force microscopy (AFM) simulations was described by combining experimental force curves with stepwise graphical interpretation. This approach provides valuable guidance for the analysis of bubble and soft matter interactions under AFM. The results of this study indicate that nanobubbles can indirectly alter the hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity of particles, increasing the probability of particle adhesion and reducing the probability of desorption, thereby enhancing the stability of particle flocculation.

Preparation of Robust Superhydrophobic Coatings Using Hydrophobic and Tough Micro/Nano Particles

Superhydrophobic nanocomposite coatings, prepared using adhesive and fillers, offer advantages including ease of fabrication and suitability for large-scale applications, but compared with other types of artificial superhydrophobic surfaces, poor durability still limits these surfaces from practical applications. The utilization of micro/nanoscale particles with both intrinsic hydrophobicity and robust mechanical properties to prepare coatings should significantly contribute to enhanced durability. Herein, rough and hydrophobic particles with micro/nano hierarchical structures were prepared at first, and robust superhydrophobic surfaces were fabricated using the prepared particles and additional nanoparticles. The initially prepared particles formed a rough framework of the coating, while additional nanoparticles provided inevitable nanoscale structures. A series of mechanical tests were carried out to validate the durability, and the surface with 20 wt.% NPs exhibited the best performance, withstanding 30 tape peeling tests, a 2.47 m sandpaper rubbing test (at a pressure of 5 kPa), the impact of 200 g of grit dropped from a height of 20 cm, and a 2 h acidic immersion. These appealing materials may attract attention for self-cleaning, high-speed water impact resistance, anti-icing, and anti-fouling applications in the coatings industry.

Surface reconstruction of sulfonated polysulfone ultrafiltration membrane with cellulose nanocrystals for enhancing anti-fouling performance

The fouling issues of ultrafiltration membranes is one of limitations for their long-term effectiveness. Here, we developed an effective and environmentally friendly approach for constructing anti-fouling ultrafiltration membrane, achieved by the surface modification of sulfonated polysulfone (SPSF) ultrafiltration membrane with cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs). The composite ultrafiltration membrane was obtained by only filtering CNC suspension through SPSF ultrafiltration membrane, and showed good hydrophilicity that its water contact angle is only 53° which is much lower than that of SPSF ultrafiltration membrane (74°). Its retention rate for the pollutants with particle size greater than 10 nm is close to 100 %. Its water flux is almost twice that of SPSF ultrafiltration membrane under the sewage condition. After three cycles of filtering severe sewage, its flux recovery rate is still 95 %, far higher than that of SPSF ultrafiltration membrane (60 %). Therefore, the surface modification strategy of SPSF ultrafiltration membrane with CNCs is effective and green for improving the anti-fouling properties of ultrafiltration membranes, which is a valuable reference for enhancing the anti-fouling performance of ultrafiltration membranes from various materials. The as-prepared CNCs/SPSF ultrafiltration membrane has a promising application in the purification of wastewater containing hydrophobic particles.

Heterogeneous degradation kinetics of typical pyrimidine pesticides toward OH radicals

Pirimiphos-methyl (PMM) and pirimicarb (PM) are two typical N,N-dialkyl substituted pyrimidine pesticides widely applied in agriculture. They are emitted into the atmosphere via spraying and post-application volatilization, but their heterogeneous degradation kinetics toward OH radicals has not been well characterized. Therefore, the degradation rates of particle-associated PMM and PM with OH radicals were studied under different conditions including particle type, relatively humidity (RH), and temperature. The experimental results indicated that the degradation rates of PMM and PM adsorbed on hydrophilic SiO2 particles were faster than those adsorbed on hydrophobic SiO2 particles, suggesting that heterogeneous kinetics was affected by surface properties of SiO2 particles. The degradation rates of PMM and PM adsorbed on these two kinds of SiO2 particles under experimental conditions ranged from (10.8 ± 0.7) × 10−12 and (6.1 ± 0.8) × 10−12 to (28.0 ± 1.7) × 10−12 and (13.5 ± 1.2) × 10−12 cm3 molecule−1 s−1, respectively. Additionally, these rate constants showed a negative relationship with increasing RH level (20−80%) while a positive relationship with elevating temperature (5−35 °C). Arrhenius expressions for their heterogeneous degradation and the corresponding activation energies were calculated. According to the obtained degradation rates, the atmospheric lifetimes of particle-associated PMM and PM toward OH radicals were in the ranges of 9.9–25.8 and 20.7−46.1 h, respectively, suggesting that OH-initiated heterogeneous degradation might be an important pathway during their atmospheric transformation processes. The experimental kinetic data obtained in this work are in favor of improving the understandings of atmospheric lifetimes of particle-associated PMM and PM, and also highlight that the environmental factors including particle type, RH, and temperature should be seriously taken into account for determining the atmospheric lifetimes of pesticides.

Electroreduction of CO to 2.8 A cm⁻2 C2+ Products: Maximizing Efficiency with Minimalist Electrode Design Featuring a Mesopore-Rich Hydrophobic Copper Catalyst Layer.

This work shows how hydrophobicity and porosity can be incorporated into copper catalyst layers (CLs) for the efficient electroreduction of CO (CORR) in a flow cell. Oxide-derived (OD) Cu catalysts are synthesized using K+ and Cs+ as templates, termed respectively as OD-Cu-K and OD-Cu-Cs. CLs, assembled from OD-Cu-K and OD-Cu-Cs, exhibit enhanced CORR performance compared to "unmodified" OD-Cu CL. OD-Cu-Cs can notably reduce CO to C2+ products with Faradaic efficiencies (FE) as high as 96% (or 4% FE H2). During CO electrolysis at -3000mA cm-2 (-0.73V vs reversible hydrogen electrode), C2+ products and the alcohols are formed with respective current densities of -2804 and -1205mA cm- 2. The mesopores in the OD-Cu-Cs CL act as barriers against electrolyte flooding. Contact angle measurements confirm the CL's hydrophobicity ranking: OD-Cu-Cs > OD-Cu-K > OD-Cu. The enhanced hydrophobicity of a catalyst is proposed to allow more triple-phase (CO-electrolyte-catalyst) interfaces to be available for CORR. This study shows how the pore size-hydrophobicity relationship can be harvested to guide the design of a less-is-more Cu electrode, which can attain high CORR current density and selectivity, without the additional use of hydrophobic polytetrafluoroethylene particles or dopants, such as Ag.

Influence of nanosilica and chain extender on the mechanical behavior of poly(lactic acid)/poly(butylene adipate‐co‐terephthalate) blends

AbstractThe effect of incorporating different percentages of hydrophobic and hydrophilic nanosilica (HPB and HPL NS) particles and chain extender (CE) on the mechanical behavior of poly(lactic acid)/poly(butylene adipate‐co‐terephthalate) (PLA/PBAT) blends was evaluated. The mechanical behavior of the samples was explained using different theoretical models. Microscopic studies showed that adding both types of NS particles and CE led to more uneven surfaces for blends. Also, no obvious aggregations were observed in both blend nanocomposites, and both kinds of NS particles were mainly present in the PBAT phase. Except for the blend containing 1 phr HPB NS particles, which revealed a continuous morphology, all the PLA/PBAT blends containing both types of NS particles indicated a droplet‐matrix morphology. The more the NS content, the more uniform the PBAT distribution. Adding CE in the blends improved Young's modulus, yield strength, and elongation‐at‐break to a particular loading of CE (2 phr), while these properties were diminished after introducing more CE. Also, the most improvements in the yield strength (45%) and Young's modulus (35%) were seen for the PLA/PBAT (75/25 w/w) containing 2 phr CE and 5 phr HPL NS particles. Besides, a good agreement was observed for experimental values and theoretical models for all samples.

Investigation on the flotation of a mixed collector and its mechanism for enhancing low-rank coal flotation: Effect of micro adsorption and its interaction with gangue particle

The flotation effect of the association formed by dodecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (DTAB) and dodecyl alcohol polyoxyethylene ether sodium sulfate (AES), and nonpolar kerosene mixed collectors on low-rank coal (LRC) was investigated. The results show that the combustible matter recovery was significantly improved compared with a single kerosene from 49.88% to 74.97% when the the mixed collector was used, while concentrate ash content decreased from 9.76% to 8.57% simultaneously. The utilization of the mixed collector not only enhanced the surface hydrophobicity of organic particles but also facilitated the intercoalescence among them, thereby reducing the ash content of concentrate during flotation. The molecular dynamics simulation (MDS) results show that the effect of the mixed collector on the surface of LRC is mainly the electrostatic interaction and hydrogen bonding between the collector molecules and the surface molecules of LRC, which makes the polar molecules in the collector closely adsorbed on the surface of LRC.