MOLECULAR MODELING FOR OXIDATIVE CROSS-LINKING OF OLEATES ADSORBED ONSURFACES OF MINERALS

Oleic acid, chemically adsorbed on surfaces of certain minerals, under goes oxidation of the double bonds in aqueous media at elevated temper atures. The oxidatively cross-linked molecules increase the hydrophobi city of the mineral surface dramatically. The reaction has been shown to take place on the surfaces Of CaF2 and MgCO3 but not on CaCO3. Mole cular modeling of the resultant product (rather than the prereaction m olecular organization) on the surfaces of CaF2 and CaCO3 provides a ra tional explanation for the difference in behavior.