DFT study of coadsorption of fatty acid and kerosene on fluorapatite (001) surface

The adsorption of fatty acid, kerosene and fatty acid-kerosene on fluorapatite (001) surface were investigated by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The results showed that the single fatty acid could form stable chemisorption on fluorapatite (001) surface by the O of fatty acids bonding with Ca1 site. The single kerosene could not be stably adsorbed on fluorapatite (001) surface because the H of kerosene did not form hydrogen bond with the O of PO43- on (001) surface (Osurf). For the coadsorption conformation, the chemisorption of fatty acid-kerosene on fluorapatite (001) surface was contributed by the interaction between O of fatty acids and Ca1, the H of kerosene did not bond with the Osurf, but the carbon chain length of kerosene has a large influence on the coadsorption. Compared with the coadsorption of fatty acid-decane, the adsorption of butyric acid-tetradecane and octanoic acid-tetradecane on fluorapatite (001) surface have greater adsorption energies and overlapping region of DOS between O 2p and Ca 4d, indicating that there is a synergistic effect between fatty acid and tetradecane. Meanwhile, the collaborative effects exist between the molecules of fatty acids. The interpenetrating adsorption of fatty acid and kerosene on the fluorapatite surface could improve the adsorption strength and density. The flotation test further confirmed that the single kerosene could not collect fluorapatite, but it could be collected by the single fatty acid. Besides, the synergistic effect between fatty acid and kerosene could increase the flotation recovery of fluorapatite.