Abstract: The effects of length and unsaturation degree of the alkyl group of fatty acid on its collecting performance are studied by the flotation tests on several fatty acid collectors for ilmenite and the quantum chemistry calculation of fatty acid molecules. The result shows that the hydrophobicity of fatty acid increases with the increase of its alkyl group length and the fatty acid is prone to dissolve and disperse in water with the increase in the unsaturation degree of its alkyl group, thus enhancing its collecting ability.

Key words: Fatty acid, Ilmenite, Quantum chemistry calculation