Influence of the chemical structure of cation surfactants on the wetting process of rock-forming minerals

Interfacial interactions of cationic surfactants of various chemical structures at the solution / finely dispersed mineral material (quartz and dolomite) interface were studied. It is established that the modification of the surfaces of quartz and dolomite with cationic surfactants leads to a change in the structure and radius of the capillaries due to the formation of adsorption-solvate shells. The hydrophobic ability of cationic surfactants is determined by the structure of the hydrophilic part of their molecules – the balance of amino groups in the alkyl chains and the absence of steric hindrances during adsorption interaction with the surface of mineral materials. The mixture of surfactants containing six amino groups and a polyhydric alcohol glycerin has an effective hydrophobic ability from both aqueous and highly mineralized solutions.