Effect of surface roughness on particle-bubble interaction: A critical review

• Published in: Minerals engineering Vol. 201; p. 108223
• Main Authors: Sun, Yujin, Bu, Xiangning, Ulusoy, Ugur, Guven, Onur, Vaziri Hassas, Behzad, Dong, Xianshu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.10.2023
• Subjects: Bubbles; Contact angle; Flotation; Induction time; Particles; Roughness; Induction time; Flotation; Bubbles; Contact angle; Particles; Roughness
• ISSN: 0892-6875
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mineng.2023.108223

[Display omitted] •Preparation and measurement methods of surface roughness are reviewed.•The effect of roughness on particle-bubble interaction is discussed systematically.•Novel concepts are proposed and emphasized to reveal the role of surface roughness.•The prospects for future research in mineral flotation are put forward. Particle roughness affects flotation recovery in terms of wettability, kinetics, bubble-particle interactions, and even inter-particle aggregation. The influence of the surface roughness of particles on flotation recovery and their underlying mechanisms have been proven to be important. To achieve this goal, researchers have used a variety of industrial minerals or natural hydrophilic/hydrophobic materials to demonstrate the effect of morphological characteristics on particle-bubble adhesion, detachment processes, and flotation rates and recoveries. However, the current conclusions are not uniform and the findings vary with the materials used. Therefore, the preparation, as well as measurement methods used in the current studies on flat surfaces, and the effects of particle surface roughness, are summarized and discussed in this paper, respectively. The effects of roughness on the contact angle, induction time, particle-bubble interaction energy, and flotation effectiveness are reviewed. A systematic review of the relevant literature from recent decades is presented with the expectation of shedding light on the underlying mechanisms behind the inconsistent findings and providing instructive guidance for future studies focusing on the effect of surface roughness on particle-bubble interactions.