Bubble-particle attachment and detachment in flotation

The mechanism by which particles and bubbles interact captures many of the central concepts of colloid science and hydrodynamics and is an example of heterocoagulation. Hydrodynamics, interfacial (including capillary) forces, particle and bubble behaviour and solution chemistry are all interwoven, The processes of attachment and detachment are focused upon here. We deal with the identification of a flotation 'domain', the deformation of a bubble surface upon interaction with a solid surface, the kinetics of three phase contact line expansion and the determination of attachment efficiencies through to the direct measurement of bubble-particle interaction forces. The results, concepts and implications of this work are discussed. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.