title: Xanthate-Functional Temperature-Responsive Polymers: Effect on Lower Critical Solution Temperature Behavior and Affinity toward Sulfide Surfaces.
abstract: Xanthate-functional polymers represent an exciting opportunity to provide temperature-responsive materials with the ability to selectively attach to specific metals, while also modifying the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) behavior. To investigate this, random copolymers of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) with xanthate incorporations ranging from 2 to 32% were prepared via free radical polymerization. Functionalization with 2% xanthate increased the LCST by 5 °C relative to the same polymer without xanthate. With increasing xanthate composition, the transition temperature increased and the transition range broadened until a critical composition of the hydrophilic xanthate groups (≥18%) where the transition disappeared completely. The adsorption of the polymers at room temperature onto chalcopyrite (CuFeS2) surfaces increased with xanthate composition, while adsorption onto quartz (SiO2) was negligible. These findings demonstrate the affinity of these functional smart polymers toward copper iron sulfide relative to quartz surfaces, presumably due to the interactions between xanthate and specific metal centers.
authors.affiliation: Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Melbourne , Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia.|CSIRO Mineral Resources Flagship, Clayton, VIC 3168, Australia.
authors.forename: Wei Sung
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.affiliation: CSIRO Mineral Resources Flagship, Clayton, VIC 3168, Australia.
authors.forename: Elizaveta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Forbes
authors.affiliation: Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Melbourne , Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: George V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Franks
authors.affiliation: Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Melbourne , Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: Luke A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Connal