Abstract:The FTIR spectroscopy indicates that the adsorption of quaternary ammonium salt DTAL on the diaspore and kaolinite is physical adsorption. The adsorption of cationic surfactants measured by two-phase titration shows that the adsorption on the kaolinite is notably more than that on diaspore. The adsorption isotherm on kaolinte is linear while that of DTAL on diaspore is two-step flat form. The analysis on the cationic ions of kaolinite supernatants shows that kaolinite releases plenty of crystalloid structure ions which countervail the crystalloid charge because of the adsorption of the cationic surfactant. The mechanisms of the quaternary ammonium salt DTAL on flotation separation of diaspore and kaolinite include ion exchange interaction as well as electrostatic force.

Key words: quaternary ammonium salt; adsorption; cationic ion; mechanism