Materials and process for enhancing selective separations

Abstract

Use of a Maillard reaction product as an adjuvant in a variety of applications including solid-liquid separations, corrosion inhibition, emulsification, dust suppression, slow release fertilization, viscosity modification and others and especially as a depressant or collector in separation processes, including the selective separation of solids and/or ionic species from aqueous media, such as in the process of froth flotation.

1 . A process for obtaining a valued material from an aqueous suspension, dispersion or solution containing the valued material comprising adding to the aqueous suspension, dispersion or solution a Maillard reaction product, the Maillard reaction product comprising an adduct of (1) an amine reactant and (2) a reducing sugar, a reducing sugar equivalent, or a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         2 . A process for emulsifying a material comprising agitating the material in a liquid in the presence of a Maillard reaction product, the Maillard reaction product comprising an adduct of (1), an amine reactant and (2) a reducing sugar, a reducing sugar equivalent, or a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the amine reactant contains at least one amine functional group, and wherein a molar ratio of the reducing sugar, the reducing sugar equivalent, or the mixture thereof to the amine functional group is about 1:1 to about 3:1. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the reducing sugar, the reducing sugar equivalent, or the mixture thereof is selected from the group consisting of: dextrose, fructose, high fructose corn syrup, erythrulose, ribulose, xylulose, psicose, sorbose, tagatose, glyceraldehyde, erythrose, threose, ribose, arabinose, xylose, allose, altrose, mannose, gulose, galactose, talose, maltose, lactose, furfural, pyruvaldehyde, acetaldehyde, crotonaldehyde, 2-furaldehyde, glycolaldehyde, glycolaldehyde dimer, trans-3-(2-furyl)acrolein, acrolein, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, 5-methylfurfural, 4-hydroxycrotonaldehyde, and cinnamaldehyde, and wherein the amine reactant is selected from the group consisting of: ammonia, ammonium hydroxide, hydrazine, guanidine, primary amines, secondary amines, quaternary ammonium compounds, polyamines, amino acids, and proteins. 
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the Maillard reaction product has a cationic functionality, a sulfur functionality, a phosphorus functionality, a sulfate functionality, a sulfonate functionality, a hydroxamic acid functionality, a silane functionality, a phenolic functionality, or an aza crown chelating functionality. 
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the Maillard reaction product is produced by reacting the amine reactant and the reducing sugar. 
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the Maillard reaction product is produced by reacting the amine reactant, the reducing sugar, and a non-carbohydrate polyhydroxy reactant. 
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the Maillard reaction product is produced by reacting the amine reactant, the reducing sugar, and a polycarboxylic acid. 
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the valued material is obtained by sedimentation, filtration, or flotation. 
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising recovering the value material from the aqueous suspension, dispersion or solution after adding the Maillard reaction product thereto to produce a purified product, wherein the purified product contains a reduced concentration of at least one impurity relative to the aqueous suspension, dispersion, or solution. 
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the Maillard reaction product depresses the value material or an impurity in the aqueous suspension, dispersion, or solution. 
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the Maillard reaction product promotes flotation of the value material or an impurity in the aqueous suspension, dispersion or solution. 
     
     
         13 . A process for separating a valued material from a suspension, dispersion, or solution, comprising:
 treating the liquid suspension, dispersion, or solution with a Maillard reaction product of (1) an amine and (2) a reducing sugar, a reducing sugar equivalent, or a mixture thereof to provide a treated mixture; and   removing a purified valued material from the treated mixture.   
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein the Maillard reaction product further comprises a non-carbohydrate polyhydroxy compound or a polycarboxylic acid. 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein the Maillard reaction product is produced by reacting the amine and the reducing sugar. 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein the amine contains at least one amine functional group, and wherein a molar ratio of the reducing sugar, the reducing sugar equivalent, or the mixture thereof to the amine functional group is about 1:1 to about 3:1. 
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein the reducing sugar, the reducing sugar equivalent, or the mixture thereof contains an aldehyde moiety reactive with Cu +2  to produce a carboxylic acid moiety. 
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein the reducing sugar, the reducing sugar equivalent, or the mixture thereof is selected from the group consisting of: dextrose, fructose, high fructose corn syrup, erythrulose, ribulose, xylulose, psicose, sorbose, tagatose, glyceraldehyde, erythrose, threose, ribose, arabinose, xylose, allose, altrose, mannose, gulose, galactose, talose, maltose, lactose, furfural, pyruvaldehyde, acetaldehyde, crotonaldehyde, 2-furaldehyde, glycolaldehyde, glycolaldehyde dimer, trans-3-(2-furyl)acrolein, acrolein, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, 5-methylfurfural, 4-hydroxycrotonaldehyde, and cinnamaldehyde, and wherein the amine is selected from the group consisting of: ammonia, ammonium hydroxide, hydrazine, guanidine, primary amines, secondary amines, quaternary ammonium compounds, polyamines, amino acids, and proteins. 
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein the Maillard reaction product depresses the value material or an impurity present in the treated mixture, or wherein the Maillard reaction product promotes flotation of the value material or the impurity in the treated mixture. 
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein the purified valued material is removed from the treated mixture by sedimentation, filtration, or flotation.