Flowability of fine, highly cohesive calcium carbonate powder was improved using high energy mixing (dry coating) method consisting in coating of CaCO3 particles with a small amount of Aerosil nanoparticles in a planetary ball mill. As measures of flowability the angle of repose and compressibility index were used. As process variables the mixing speed, mixing time, and the amount of Aerosil and amount of isopropanol were chosen. To obtain optimal values of the process variables, a Response Surface Methodology (RSM) based on Central Composite Rotatable Design (CCRD) was applied. To match the RSM requirements it was necessary to perform a total of 31 experimental tests needed to complete mathematical model equations. The equations that are second-order response functions representing the angle of repose and compressibility index were expressed as functions of all the process variables. Predicted values of the responses were found to be in a good agreement with experimental values. The models were presented as 3-D response surface plots from which the optimal values of the process variables could be correctly assigned. The proposed, mechanochemical method of powder treatment coupled with response surface methodology is a new, effective approach to flowability of cohesive powder improvement and powder processing optimisation.
Purpose: Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (P3HB) is a biopolymer, but storing products from P3HB causes the deterioration of their properties leading to their brittleness. P3HB has also low thermal stability. Its melting point almost equals its degradation temperature. To obtain biodegradable and biocompatible materials characterized by higher thermal stability and better strength parameters than the unfilled P3HB, composites with the addition of polyurethanes were produced. Methods: The morphology, thermal, and mechanical property parameters of the biocomposites were examined using scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, standard differential scanning calorimetry, and typical strength machines. Results: Aliphatic polyurethanes, obtained by the reaction of 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate and polyethylene glycols, were used as modifiers. To check the influence of the glycol molar mass on the properties of the biocomposites, glycols with a molecular weight of 400 and 1000 g/mol were used. New biocomposites based on P3HB were produced with 5, 10, 15, and 20 wt. % content of polyurethane by direct mixing using a twin-screw extruder. The following property parameters of the prepared biocomposites were tested: degradation temperature, glass transition temperature, tensile strength, impact strength, and Brinell hardness. Conclusions: Improvement of the processing property parameters of P3HB-biocomposites with the addition of aliphatic polyurethanes was achieved by increasing the degradation temperature in relation to the degradation temperature of the unfilled P3HB by over 30 °C. The performance property parameters have also been improved by reducing the brittleness compared to the P3HB, as evidenced by the increase in impact strength and the decrease in hardness with an increase in the amount of polyurethane obtained by the reaction of 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate and polyethylene glycol with a molecular weight of 400 g/mol (PU400) as modifier.
Planetary ball mill was proposed as an intensive high-energy mixer to obtain flowability improvement of industrially exploited, cohesive and finely comminuted powders via dry coating. Response surface methodology (RSM) coupled with central composite rotatable design (CCRD) was applied as an effective method for the prediction of high-energy mixing conditions. The use of this procedure allows identifying relatively narrow ranges of high-energy mixing parameters (rotating speed of planetary ball mill and mixing time) and the amount of additives used (nanosilica and isopropyl alcohol) providing substantial improvement of the flowability of Aluminium hydroxide (Apyral) and Calcium carbonate powders. In order to find the optimal values of the process parameters, enabling to obtain the lowest values of flowability indices (angle of repose, compressibility index), the desirability function approach was applied. The obtained results may be a basis for developing a general routine allowing mixing parameters to be successfully predicted regarding some physical properties of powders only with no experiments needed.
Recent findings on some unsolved powder rheology problems and new challenges regarding mechanochemical powder processing and flow modelling are presented. There is remarkable difference in rheology when processing moist powders in static or dynamic conditions. Despite of regular trends of shear stress changes with humidity found in the both cases, some exceptions revealed the significant impact of particles size and their hygroscopic nature as example. Mechanochemical methods of high-energy interactive mixing of highly cohesive powders doped with nano-sized solid admixture enabled their flowability to be improved considerably. Using statistical approach, more general routine is proposed that allow the optimal mixing parameters to be reliably predicted with limited number of experiments needed. Ability to flow of some hygroscopic powders was examined with DEM method and extreme sensitivity of model output to input particle properties was found. The common DEM routine towards powder flow prediction is therefore suggested to be replaced with approach featuring in using DEM method to identify some unknown powder flow factors.
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