Application Bulletin AC09
Quadro Comil
 

DEAGGLOMERATING METAL POWDERS - SILVER POWDER
 

Background / Requirement

A specialty metals producer approached Quadro with an application to deagglomerate silver powder to a uniform 100% (-) 200 mesh particle size. The capacity required was 1500 troy ounces (104 lbs) per eight hour day. This silver powder was being used for a photographic application and strict quality control standards applied. Impact and media mills were tested however, both mills either created excessive heat or dust during size reduction.

The Comil was able to deagglomerate the silver powder to 100% (-) 200 mesh U.S. standard at a rate of 120 pounds per hour. The Comil did not produce a noticeable temperature rise in the discharged product and since the Comil was choke/flood fed, there was no dust produced during milling.

Comil Performance

The Comil was able to break down the one inch (25 mm) friable lumps of sodium nitrate to its original particle size of 40 mesh U.S. Standard. The particle size distribution of the discharged product almost exactly matched that of the original powder before agglomeration occurred.

Summary

A Comil was purchased and has been performing this application trouble-free.

The silver powder produced is of high quality and due to the high capacity of the Comil (a day’s production in less than one hour), the Comil is free to mill other similar products.

Examples of other metal powders that have been successfully deagglomerated by the Comil are:
 aluminum oxide
 platinum
 lead and lead oxide
 selenium
 neodymium
 zinc and zinc oxide

The Comil's gentle, low energy grinding action, low dust and ease of cleaning, makes it ideal for this application.