Centrifuge Study on Influence of Particle Size, Compression and Substratum on Particle-Surface Adhesion Force

摘要

The centrifugal technique was used to investigate the influence of particle size, applied compression and substrate materials (stainless steel, glass, Teflon® and PVC) on particle-surface adhesion force. Phosphate rock and manioc starch particles were used in a microcentrifuge that contained specially designed centrifuge tubes and reached a maximum rotation speed of 14,000 rpm. The profile of adhesion force followed a log-normal distribution and adhesion force increased linearly with particle size and the increment of the compression force. The manioc starch particles presented adhesion forces greater than those for the phosphate rock particles for all particle sizes studied. The glass substrate showed a higher adherence than other materials, most probably due to its hardness and polishing.