Surface adsorption of stearic acid by natural calcite

In order to obtain hydrophobic material, the surface of natural limestone with the high content of calcite (>95%), was treated with 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 3 and 4% of stearic acid. Two methods were used for modification: the solution method and the dry coating. The obtained products were characterized using the thermal analysis (DT/TG), X-ray powder diffraction analysis (XRPD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and by the evaluation of floating test. Results of floating test showed that when the solution method was applied, the hydrophobicity arrived at above 99% when the amount of stearic acid was 1.5%, while with the dry coating the same hydrophobicity was achieved with 3% of stearic acid. From the position of the principal exothermic peak (> 310 °C) at DTA curves, for calcites modified with dry coating and with the solution method, it can be concluded that with both modification processes, the same active sites exist at the calcite surface onto which stearic acid may be chemisorbed. However, the position and the intensity of the other exothermic peaks, indicate the differences in bonding of stearic acid at the calcite surface during the solution method and the dry coating.