Synthesis of γ-alkoxy-propylamines and their collecting properties on aluminosilicate minerals

alkoxy-propylamines, C12H25O（CH2）3NH2, C14H29O（CH2）3NH2, C16H33O（CH2）3NH2, C18H37O-（CH2）3NH2 were synthesized from aliphatic alcohol and acrylonitrile. The flotation tests of kaolinite, pyrophyllite and illite were conducted. The flotation mechanisms were explained in view of the structures of reagents and aluminium silicate minerals, zeta potential and Fourier transform infrared spectrum measurements. The results show that the synthesized r-alkoxy-propylamines are more effective than dodecyl amine for flotation of kaolinite, pyrophyllite and illite. For flotation kaolinite and illite, the collecting ability is in the order of C18H37O（CH2）3NH2>C16H33O-（CH2）3NH2>C14H29O（CH2）3NH2>C12H25O（CH2）3NH2, but the r-alkoxy-propylamines types of collectors have almost the same collecting ability on pyrophyllite, which demonstrating that γ-alkoxy-propylamines are new selective collectors for reverse floatation to remove aluminium silicate minerals from bauxite.