Particle Size Reduction, Mixing, Granulation and Drying Flashcards
Define toughness
It is a measure of a material’s resistance to fracture.
What is the difference between elastic deformation and plastic deformation?
Elastic deformation is reversible once stress is removed, unlike plastic deformation which is permanent.
What is an example of crack propagation?
Fracture of a birttle material under stress.
Why is particle size reduction not an efficient process?
As only a small portion of the energy provided to the system is used to reduce particle size; most of the energy is lost through heat, friction, vibration, crack initiation or elastic/plastic deformation.
Give an example of materials that become brittle when cooled at low enough temperatures (often well below freezing)
Rubber and other waxy or sticky materials.
What are the 4 different types of mechanical stress that can be used to break down particles?
What is the size range, principle and method when using cutting mills method?
Method:Cutting
Size range: 500-50,000 microns
Principle:Particles are fractured between two sets of knives. A stationary set on the mill casing and set attached to the rotor.
What is the size range, principle and method when using roller mills method?
Method: Compression
Size range: 1,000-100,000 microns
Principle: Powder is compressed between two rotating cylinders
What is the size range, principle and method when using hammer mills method?
Method: Impact
Size range: <100 -10,000 microns
Principle: Particle size is reduced upon impact driven by 4 (or more) rotating hammers
What is the size range, principle and method when using Ball mill method?
Method: Impact & Attrition
Size range: 1 to just above 100 microns
Principle: A rotating cylinder filled to 30-50% with balls. The mill can be filled with a variety of ball sizes to improve the size reduction process.
What is the size range, principle and method when using Fluid energy mill method?
Method: Impact & Attrition
Size range: 1 - 50,000 microns
Principle: Air is injected at a high-pressure, creating turbulence which will lead particles to collide with other particles and with the wall of the mill.
What do you need to consider when selecting to produce very coarse powders ( > 1000 microns)?
- Cutting methods for tough/soft particles
- Roller or hammer mill for harder particles
What do you need to consider when selecting to produce coarse powders ( 50-1000 microns) ?
- Soft/tough materials: size reduction performed under liquid nitrogen
- Cutting still possible for soft materials, under liquid nitrogen
What do you need to consider when selecting to produce fine powders ( >50 microns) ?
- Ball or vibration mill (under liquid nitrogen for soft materials)
Size seperation can be used using which methods?
- Sieving methods with or without aid.
- Agitation
- Brushing
- Centrifugation
- Sedimentation
* Based on a similar principle as sedimentation-based particle size analysis - Elutration
* Seperation under an fluid layer moving in an upwards direction
A cutter mill can be used to produce fine particles from a hard material
TRUE or FALSE
FALSE
They are suitable for size reduction of soft to medium-hard fibrous and tough materials, plastics and heterogeneous mixtures.
What is meant by the neutral mixture category?
- Mixing is NOT spontaneous
- Demixing is NOT spontaneous
- Energy input will be required for the powders to mix or demix
What is positive mixing?
- Simplest situation.
- Spontaneous mixing, energy only required if time constraint. Between liquids, gases (air).
- You only input energy if you want to speed up the process
What is Neutral mixture?
- Non-spontaneous mixing and non-spontaneous demixing.
- Energy input would be required to start the mixing process, unless we disturb the mix it will not demix.
- Examples: Pastes, powders.
What is negative mixing?
- Energy input is required.
- Spontaneous demixing. Fast or slow.
- e.g, emulsion that doesnt contain a stabuliser.
- input energy required to make the oil and water mix.
What are the 2 mechanisms for mixing?
Small scale and Large scale mixing
What is the equipment needed to peform small scale mixing?
- Mortar and pestle
- Glass tile
- Closed container
How is large scale mixing achieved?
- Convection
- Shear
- Diffusion