Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Experiment Part A: Ball Milling



Title
Ball Milling


Objective
To reduce the coarse salt into fine salt by using ball milling and get the particle size distribution by sieving.


Date of Experiment
30th September 2014


Introduction
Ball milling is a type of grinder used to grind materials into fine powder. Ball mills rotate around a horizontal axis, partially filled with the coarse salt to be ground plus the grinding medium. There are many types of grinding media suitable for use in a ball mill, each material having its own specific properties and advantages. 

Common in some applications are stainless steel balls. Stainless steel balls are also used in this practical. This is because stainless steel balls are usually very effective due to their high density and low contamination of the material being processed. Speed of the ball milling is adjusted to produce a uniform grind of the coarse salt. Ball milling method is working on the principle of critical speed. The critical speed can be understood as that speed after which the steel balls start rotating along the direction of the cylindrical device, thus causing no further grinding.


Apparatus
Weighing balance, ball mill, sieve nest


Material
Coarse salt, stainless steel ball


Procedure 

1. 300g-500g of coarse salt was weighed by using the weighing balance. 



2.Different sizes of stainless steel balls were put into the mill.  



3.Coarse salt was then inserted into the mill.  

4.Milling process was started with suitable speed and this process was lasted for 15-20 minutes.



5.Product obtained from the milling is weighed after the ball milling process.

6.The product obtained is sieved by using sieve nest method.


7.The particle size distribution obtained from the sieve nest method is plotted with histogram.

Result
Original weight: 325g
Final weight      : 320.1g

           
Sieve nest size (micrometer)
Weight of the salt (g)
500
35.0
350
10.3
250
3.6
150
0




Discussion
Ball milling is a method of grinding and mixing of materials, with or without liquid in a rotating cylinder or conical mill partially filled with grinding media. It is a ball milling process where a powder mixture placed in the ball mill is subjected to high-energy collision from the balls. ball milling machines enable very precise milling, in porcelain jars, even for relatively tough materials, wet or dry.It was found that this method, termed mechanical alloying, could successfully produce fine, uniform dispersion of oxide particles.  

This ball mill is horizontal type and tubular running device. Ball mills consist of a hollow cylinder mounted such that it can be rotated on its horizontal longitudinal axis. Commonly, stainless steel ball is used as grinding media in the ball milling method. Stainless steel ball is chosen because it low contamination of the material being processed and contains high density. Different specification steel balls are installed on the scale board in the ball mill, when the barrel body rotates and   produces centrifugal force ,at this time , the steel ball is carried to some height and falls to make the material grinding and striking. The speed of rotation is the greatest important factor in the operation of the ball mill. Thus, speed also important for the ball milling process to be carried out successfully. Appropriate speed must be adjusted by hearing the sound of the grinding when the ball milling process is carried out. This is because this ball milling method is working on the principle of critical speed.

In this practical, 325g of coarse salt is grinded with numerous numbers of stainless steel balls with the speed of 5. The grinding process produced a total weight of 320.1g of product. All of the products are sieved by using sieve nest method which will produce 150 micrometer of particle size, 250 micrometer of particle size, 350 micrometer of particle size, 500 micrometer of particle size and coarse salt that cannot sieve by 500 micrometer sieve nest. The least salt produced is 150 micrometer particle size of salt while the mostly salt produced is 500 micron of salt.


Questions

  1. What are the factors that will influence the particle size reduction process (milling)?
The factors that will influence the particle size reduction process (milling) are nature of raw materials , nature of the finished product (Particle size: Moderately coarse powders may be obtained from various impact mill. If very fine particles like micronized particles of griseofulvin may be obtained from fluid energy mill.Ease of sterilization: When preparations are intended for parenteral (injection) purpose and ophthalmic uses, size reduction must be conducted in a sterile environment. Mills should be sterilized by steam before use.Contamination of milled materials: In case of potent drugs and low dose products, contamination of the products should be avoided),the toughness and surface hardness of the solid, the roll speed, the milling time, the particle mixture and the size of milling ball.

2. What are the apparatus that can be used to reduce particle size?
The apparatus that can be used to reduce particle size are mortar and pestle, cutter mill ,end-runner ,and edge-runner mill, vibration mill,hammer mill, roller mill , ball mill and fluid energy mill.

  1. What are the factors that will influence the selection of certain apparatus for particle size reduction?
The size reduction range required,  the cost of size reduction, properties of the powder particles, the available of equipment  will influence the selection of apparatus for particle size reduction

 Conclusion
Ball milling is a method used in reduction of particle size to a smaller size or fine particles.




References
1. http://www.ncsu.edu/project/feedmill/presentations/CFIA%20Corn%20Symp%20Particle%20Size-Pellet.pdf

2. http://books.google.com.my/bookshl=en&lr=&id=jlR12Zz2SfoC&oi=fnd&pg=PP2&dq=factor+influence+selection+of+apparatus+for+particle+size+reduction&ots=Zo0KI5zKU&sig=ptk3LPkUzTNNOR2KLR_sXoTc0bg&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false

3. http://www.powdertechnologyinc.com/toll-processing-services/toll-processing-capabilities/?gclid=COvs1uj5ycECFZcmvQoduxsA1g

4. Michael E.Aulton (2007). Aulton’s Pharmaceutics The Design and Manufacture of Medicines, 3rd edition,Churchill LivingStone.



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