Consistent Milling on a Nano Scale - Planetary ball mills are helping scientists and engineers advance nanotechnology by providing a consistent way to produce nanoscale powders

摘要

Colloid and chemical scientists have been studying nanoparticles (extremely fine particles of less than 1 micron in diameter) for many years, but recently these tiny particles have been receiving increased attention in a variety of fields. As particles become smaller, their properties can change in mysterious and useful ways. This change in properties is often due to the increased reactivity of nanoparticles and their consequent desire to quickly bond with anything close to them. Unfortunately, this includes a tendency to bond with their own kind, which is one of the many challenges of making and working with these "little fellows." However, once these challenges are overcome, the potential benefits in fields ranging from cancer treatment and food to environmental remediation, ceramics and numerous others are virtually endless. Before working with nanoparticles, it is first necessary to be able to produce them. One method is to generate particles of the correct size from scratch using crystallization, direct generation or other similar techniques, which is often referred to as "bottom up." With the other method, referred to as "top down," larger particles are reduced through milling to achieve the desired nanoscale particles. Most mechanical mills use one fixed and one moving element to either compress/shatter or cut individual pieces into smaller particles. Due to mechanical limitations, these methods cannot produce very small particles. However, one technique that will consistently produce nanoscale particles is planetary ball milling.