Dear Huggins Mkurazhizha, please check the following documents. My Regards

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/239732494_Silane-based_coatings_on_the_pyrite_for_remediation_of_acid_mine_drainage

Dear Huggins Mkurazhizha, please check the following documents. My Regards

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/239732494_Silane-based_coatings_on_the_pyrite_for_remediation_of_acid_mine_drainage

Hi Huggins,

good that you are mentioning the substrate, namely pyrite. In some other questions I was missing such information so I did not care. In your case, I see little chances for some silane having some hydrophobic residue to bond to the substrate similarly as to glass or quartz. Another idea is needed. Good luck!

Heinrich Gruenwald why do you see little chance of the coating happening? Silanes have been used to coat pyrites in inhibiting acid mine drainage and in some cases concrete casts for water protection and so forth. Am I missing something?

the anchoring sites for the silane as such are missing, typically -OH groups on an oxide surface. In the article on acid mine drainage, the silane obviously had reacted with itself to form some film. You may try it with a silane having some hydrophobic residue, anyway. But it will not bond firmly to the pyrite nor yield very good hydrophobicity.

Heinrich Gruenwald what if I use NaOH or NH4OH to simultaneously induce pH and hydroxyl groups on the surfaces of the pyrite. Would this not have an effect on the induction of hydrophobicity in the mineral?

Hi, Huggins!

Good idea!

Frankly, I do not know the result. But it makes sense to try it. If you use some trichlorosilane with a hydrocarben chain, you will neutralize some of the HCl from the anchoring reaction. But be careful and protect eyes and skin. Or ask some chemist.

ll the best!