Ghislain Bournival

The roles of particles in multiphase processes: Particles on bubble surfaces

Particle-stabilised foams (or froths) form the fundamental framework of industrial processes like froth flotation. This review provides an overview of the effects of particles on bubble surfaces. The characteristics of the particles have a profound effect on the stability of the bubbles although the stabilisation mechanisms may differ. It is well known that layers of particles may provide a steric barrier between two interfaces, which prevents the coalescence of bubbles. Although perhaps considered of lesser importance, it is interesting to note that particles may affect the bubble surface and momentarily suppress coalescence despite being absent from the film separating two bubbles. Foams are at best metastable and coalescence occurs to achieve a state of minimum energy. Despite this, particles have been reported to stabilise bubbles for significant periods of time. Bubble coalescence is accompanied by a release of energy triggered by the sudden change in surface area. This produces a distinctive oscillation of the bubble surface, which may be influenced by the presence of incompressible particles yielding unique surface properties. A survey of the literature shows that the properties of these composite materials are greatly affected by the physicochemical characteristics of the particles such as hydrophobicity and size. The intense energy released during the coalescence of bubbles may be sufficient to expel particles from the bubble surface. It is noted that the detachment of particles may preferentially occur from specific locations on the bubble surface. Examination of the research accounts again reveals that the properties of the particles may affect their detachment upon the oscillation of the bubble surface. However, it is believed that most parameters affecting the detachment of particles are in fact modifying the dynamics of the three-phase line of contact. Both the oscillation of a coalescing bubble and the resulting detachment of particles are highly dynamic processes. They would greatly benefit from computer simulation studies.

An investigation of bubble coalescence and post-rupture oscillation in non-ionic surfactant solutions using high-speed cinematography

Most processes involving bubbling in a liquid require small bubbles to maximise mass/energy transfer. A common method to prevent bubbles from coalescing is by the addition of surfactants. In order to get an insight into the coalescence process, capillary bubbles were observed using a high speed cinematography. Experiments were performed in solutions of 1-pentanol, 4-methyl-2-pentanol, tri(propylene glycol) methyl ether, and poly(propylene glycol) for which information such as the coalescence time and the deformation of the resultant bubble upon coalescence was extracted. It is shown in this study that the coalescence time increases with surfactant concentration until the appearance of a plateau. The increase in coalescence time with surfactant concentration could not be attributed only to surface elasticity. The oscillation of the resultant bubble was characterised by the damping of the oscillation. The results suggested that a minimum elasticity is required to achieve an increased damping and considerable diffusion has a detrimental effect on the dynamic response of the bubble, thereby reducing the damping.

Behavior of Bubble Interfaces Stabilized by Particles of Different Densities.

Stability of bubbles laden with particles of different densities was investigated. Capillary-held bubbles were produced and coated with particles across the density range of 1.2-3.6 g·cm(-3). The materials used were poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), glass, and anatase. The interaction of the bubbles, once brought into contact, was monitored using high-speed video recording. Visual inspection indicated that denser particles were more easily displaced during the contact of the bubbles and therefore the PMMA particles provided a particle barrier more resistant to coalescence. The coalescence events yielded information on the surface properties of the bubble and the detachment of particles. The attached particles commonly dampen the oscillation of the coalesced bubbles through viscous drag and change in the surface properties (e.g., area-exclusion principle). The dampening of the oscillation generally leads to a reduced mass of particles detaching from the bubble surface. It was found that the different materials investigated did not offer clear evidence of the effect of particle detachment on the bubble surface properties in the present systems. On the other hand, the detachment of different particle materials seemed to be consistent with one another when comparing the attachment and detachment forces exerted on the particles based on their density, size, and hydrophobicity. It was concluded that particles of lower density are more effective in stabilizing interfaces, and thus particle density is an important parameter in the selection of materials for the handling of dispersions.

Experimental Technique to Study the Interaction Between a Bubble and the Particle-Laden Interface

An experimental apparatus was developed based on the Langmuir-Blodgett trough design to investigate the compression of monolayers of micron size spherical glass particles at the air-water interface and the interaction of an air bubble with the monolayers. The setup modifies the regular Langmuir-Blodgett trough by using a deep and clear glass cell. The cell allowed both the optical observation of the particle monolayer and the insertion of a capillary to produce a bubble under the layer of particles. Surface pressure-area (Π-A) isotherms were measured while the particles rearranged at the interface during compression and expansion for different pH values and particle wettability. We also analyzed the motion of particles in the monolayer by the surface pressure and packing factor to gain further insights into the behavior of particles during the coalescence process. The results suggested that the coalescence of a bubble was dependent on the formation of a defect in the particle layer and the defect size was both strongly influenced by particle hydrophobicity and the pH of the subphase.

Bubble and Froth Stabilizing Agents in Froth Flotation

ABSTRACT The mineral processing industry relies heavily on froth flotation to beneficiate complex minerals. The performance of the process depends on a multitude of chemical reagents affecting the solid mineral particles as well as the air bubbles used to collect the valuable mineral particles. In flotation, bubbles and froths are transiently stable by the use of a frothing agent or the presence of inorganic electrolytes in the process water. This review presents the primary stages characterizing bubble coalescence. The effect of flotation reagents and inorganic electrolytes on the stability of bubbles and the mechanisms which delay the coalescence of bubbles are discussed. Recently it had been proposed that solid particles external to the flotation system may be intentionally added to stabilize the froth phase, which has attracted attention from the flotation community. This gave rise to additional studies on the topic. The final section of the paper was therefore designed to capture the progress made on this particular subject. The use of solid flotation aids offers a promising future to increase the recovery of valuable particles as these external particles may be customized. The advantage of solid particles over soluble reagents is that they may be recovered and re-used making them environmentally and economically attractive.