Filtern
Dokumenttyp
- Vortrag (3)
Sprache
- Englisch (3) (entfernen)
Referierte Publikation
- nein (3)
Schlagworte
- Agglomerates (1)
- Analytical centrifuge (1)
- Ceramic suspension (1)
- Dispersion process (1)
- Granules (1)
- Nano particle (1)
- Nano screening (1)
- Nano-powder (1)
- Particle size (1)
- Slurry (1)
Organisationseinheit der BAM
Eingeladener Vortrag
- nein (3) (entfernen)
Spray drying is a widely used process step in ceramic technology to
convert fine grained raw powders to free-flowing granules. Type and
amount of the organic additives (dispersants, binders and plasticizers)
define viscosity and stability of the slurry, the granulate structure and
the compaction behaviour.
Alumina and Zirconia powders were characterized with regard to
particle size, shape and specific surface area (BET). Zeta-potential
measurements by Stabino® were used to investigate the effect of
different dispersants on slurry stability. Unfortunately, this method is
restricted to suspensions with less than about 30% by weight of solid
content. The multi-sample analytical centrifuge LUMiSizer® overcomes
this problem. This device enables analysis of the separation behaviour
of suspensions over a wide range of solid content. On the basis of
position and time resolved photometric detection of transmitted light,
it is possible to determine the instability index, the sedimentation
velocity, and the sediment height in dependence of type and amount
of organic additives at various centrifugal accelerations. Additional
information is obtained from the shape of the transmission profiles.
Based on LUMiSizer® measurements, suitable additive concentrations
were derived. Thereby, the number of investigations by viscometry and
spray drying experiments can be significantly reduced.
Finally, it was possible to produce alumina, zirconia and ZTA aqueous
slurries with up to 80 weight-% of solid. The optimized suspensions
were successfully spray dried and the resulted granules show good
compaction behaviour.
The use of increasingly finer starting powders up to nanopowders can also be observed in the field of ceramics. Their advantages consist, for example, in their lower activation energy, an increase in strength or unique optical properties. However, handling and characterization of the powders are much more difficult. The main reason for this is the very high adhesive forces between the particles and between particles and other surfaces, too. Therefore, submicron and even more so nanoparticles tend to agglomerate and their separation into primary particles during sample preparation prior to particle sizing is of particular challenge. A representative measurement sample is only obtained when it no longer contains agglomerates. The evaluation of the dispersion process and a decision on whether it was successful thus increases in importance for the reliability of the measurement results of particle sizing.
The presentation uses examples to show possible approaches and provides information on possible sources of error.
It is shown that successful granulometric characterisation of fine powders requires both an improved dispersion technique and very often an effective combination of two or more measurement methods.
If the particle size decreases, the ratio of surface area to volume increases considerably. This provides benefits for all surface-driven processes that run faster or at lower temperatures than larger particles. However, handling and characterization of the nanopowders are much more difficult. Particularly polydisperse powders with irregular shape, as grinding products, represent a challenge. Granulometry in the submicron and nanoscale often leads to incorrect results without knowledge of particle morphology.
This presentation demonstrates potentials of using the volume-specific surface area (SV or VSSA) in the granulometric characterization of nanopowders, for instance, correlations between the volume-specific surface area and the median particle size are discussed considering the particle morphology and the model of the logarithmic normal distribution.
Moreover, the presentation deals with the optimal dispersion of nanopowders during sample preparation. Indirect ultrasound device with defined cooling was developed to prevent both contamination by sonotrode abrasion and sample changes by heat.
Successful granulometric characterization of nanopowders demands both improved dispersion technology and very often an effective combination of two or more measurement methods.