January 2005
Chemplast Marc Etter wins First Prize in the 2004 Plunkett Awards.
Chemplast Marc Etter has developed Teflon® PTFE bronze filled diamond simulants, which match or simulate the properties of diamonds used for separation on a grease separation table. The unique property of non-wet-ability (also termed hydrophobicity) of a newly exposed diamond surface is what is used for diamond separation on a grease table. The gravel is washed over an inclined grease belt with water. The ‘wet’ ore does not stick to grease, as opposed to the ‘dry’ diamond, which does stick to grease. Diamonds are also called ‘oleophilic’ i.e. attracted to oil or grease.
Teflon® PTFE was chosen as a base material due to its hydrophobicity and oleophilic properties which closely resemble those of diamonds. Bronze filler is added to the Teflon® PTFE to increase the density to 3.50 g/cm3 matching the density of diamond. Certain diamonds have contaminants on the surface of the diamond. These diamonds do not behave totally hydrophobic. Chemplast have etched the surface of the bronze filled Teflon® PTFE simulants to increase the hydrophilic properties of the PTFE.