Effects of physical properties of powder particles on binder liquid requirement and agglomerate growth mechanisms in a high shear mixer

A study was performed in order to elucidate the effects of the physical properties of small powder particles on binder liquid requirement and agglomerate growth mechanisms. Three grades of calcium carbonate having different particle size distribution, surface area, and particle shape but approximately the same median particle size (4-5 mum), were melt agglomerated with polyethylene glycol (PEG) 3000 or 20 000 in an 8-1 high shear mixer at three impeller speeds. The binder liquid requirement was found to be very dependent on the packing properties of the powder, a denser packing resulting in a lower binder liquid requirement. The densification of the agglomerates in the high shear mixer could be approximately predicted by compressing a powder sample in a compaction simulator. With the PEG having the highest viscosity (PEG 20 000), the agglomerate formation and growth occurred primarily by the immersion mechanism, whereas PEG 3000 gave rise to agglomerate growth by coalescence. Powder particles with a rounded shape and a narrow size distribution resulted in breakage of agglomerates with PEG 3000, whereas no breakage was seen with PEG 20 000. Powder particles having an irregular shape and surface structure could be agglomerated with PEG 20 000, whereas agglomerate growth became uncontrollable with PEG 3000. When PEG 20 000 was added as a powder instead of flakes, the resultant agglomerates became rounder and the size distribution narrower. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science BY All rights reserved.