Enhanced Flotation Separation of Low-Rank Coal with a Mixed Collector: Experimental and Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study

[Image: see text] The efficient flotation separation of low-rank coal is still a difficult problem. The development of a collector is the key to solve the problem. In this study, a kind of mixed collector scheme with a practical value is proposed. The effects of the single collector dodecane (D) and methyl oleate (MO) and mixed collector D–didodecyl dimethyl ammonium bromide (DDAB) and MO–DDAB on flotation separation of low-rank coal were investigated. The flotation test results show that when the molar ratios of the mixed collector D–DDAB and MO–DDAB are 9:1 and the flotation time is 4 min, the cumulative combustible recovery of low-rank coal flotation is 71.49 and 76.73%, respectively, and the cleaned coal ash is 15.26 and 13.03%, respectively. The mixed collector significantly improves the flotation effect of low-rank coal compared with the single collector. According to the analysis results of the contact angle, wetting heat, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, the hydrophobicity of the low-rank coal surface is enhanced under the action of the mixed collector, and the adsorption between the mixed collector and coal surface is stronger. In addition, molecular dynamics (MD) simulation results show that compared with D or MO, DDAB tends to adsorb on the surface of low-rank coal, and the diffusion coefficients of water molecules on the surface of coal increase. The mixed collector first repels water molecules through its double hydrophobic carbon chain to weaken the binding of the coal surface to water molecules and then uses D or MO to further repel water molecules, thus effectively enhancing the surface hydrophobicity of low-rank coal.