Kinetics of deposition of carbon particles on plastic spheres

The kinetics of particle deposition onto the surface of spherical collector particles suspended in a stirred batch vessel was investigated. The study considered monodisperse particle and monodisperse spherical collector particles. The Langmuir model for the deposition process was presented with model parametric study as well as model limiting cases of Smoluchowski analysis and equilibrium state. A method for obtaining the model parameters from model limiting cases was demonstrated. The model was experimentally tested by studying the deposition of small carbon particles onto plastic spheres. This is useful in the de-inking process of waste paper using plastic spheres. The obtained deposition curves are fitted to the model. The estimated parameters from model limiting cases are in agreement with those, obtained from the full deposition curves fitted to Langmuir kinetics. The maximum number of carbon particles that can deposit on plastic particles is estimated theoretically from geometrical analysis. The estimated value is very close to that determined from the model.