Why Doesn’t Finer Grinding Always Increase Surface Area?
RETSCH presents solutions for the efficient size reduction of solid materials to fine particle sizes. In this webinar, we highlight the often-underestimated effect of overgrinding—the point at which further size reduction no longer increases surface area and may even lead to a decrease.
In practical applications, this can have significant consequences. For example, in cement, hydration behavior may change, while in pharmaceutical tablets, active ingredient release can be affected.
Focusing first on non-porous materials, we demonstrate that the specific surface area can be derived relatively easily. In contrast, porous materials exhibit far more complex behaviour, where internal structures and accessibility play a crucial role. MICROTRAC provides solutions for detailed particle characterization. Internal surface area, pore structure, and accessibility can be effectively analyzed using gas adsorption techniques. In particular, BET analysis enables quantitative determination of accessible surface area, providing a realistic understanding of complex material structures.
Key Takeaways
- Understanding overgrinding: Why further size reduction does not necessarily increase surface area
- Finding the right milling solution: Developing efficient, reliable, and application-specific milling processes
- Measuring surface area: Analyzing porous materials using gas adsorption and BET
- See it in practice: Demonstrations from the laboratory
Intervenants :
- Dr. Serkan Gökpinar, Team Leader Export Sales (Adsorption) – MICROTRAC
- Dr. Lena Weigold, Product Management & Applications – RETSCH
