Powders binder effects

A guide to disc dimensions (diameter, depth), speed of rotation, throughput and power input is given in Section 2.1.3 below for normal or average operating conditions. For a specific powder/binder feed material, however, optimization of disc conditions requires trials with the actual machine. Only a qualitative guide to expected effects of some variables can be given here. 

A low surface tension value correlates with a small contact angle. The binder with the smaller contact angle has improved spreadabiiity and can wet powders more effectively (65,84). A surfactant can also be added to the binder solution to improve wettability, especially for hydrophobic powders, and functions to lower both the surface tension as well as the contact angle of the liquid. If the contact angle, 6, is less than 90, then the powder wetting is spontaneous. However, if the contact angle is closer to 180 then the powder would be considered unwettable by the liquid. The pore space within a particle assembly can be simplistically considered as a model capillary. The capillary pressure, Pc, of a liquid is related to the surface tension by the following equation ... 

Hybrid Systems. Combinations of water-soluble and water-dispersed binders may be used to achieve synergistic effects (e.g., to control the amount of organic solvents or the application behavior). Polymer dispersions or powdered binders may be used as water-dispersible binders [3.43]. The use of polymer dispersions allows the solids content of water-soluble binders to be increased, the level of organic solvents to be reduced, and the physical drying time to be shortened. The use of water-soluble binders provides a broad application spectrum and yields paint films with well-balanced properties. 

The success of the compaction operation depends pardy on the effective utilization and transmission of appHed forces and pardy on the physical properties and condition of the mixture being compressed. Friction at the die surface opposes the transmission of the appHed pressure in this region, results in unequal distribution of forces within the compact, and hence leads to density and strength maldistribution within the agglomerate (70). Lubricants, both external ones appHed to the mold surfaces and internal ones mixed with the powder, are often used to reduce undesirable friction effects (71). For strong compacts, external lubricants are preferable as they do not interfere with the optimum cohesion of clean particulate surfaces. Binder materials maybe used to improve strength and also to act as lubricants. 

Adhesives. Poly(vinyl alcohol) is used as a component in a wide variety of general-purpose adhesives to bond ceUulosic materials, such as paper and paperboard, wood textiles, some metal foils, and porous ceramic surfaces, to each other. It is also an effective binder for pigments and other finely divided powders. Both fully and partially hydrolyzed grades are used. Sensitivity to water increases with decreasing degree of hydrolysis and the addition of plasticizer. Poly(vinyl alcohol) in many appHcations is employed as an additive to other polymer systems to improve the cohesive strength, film flexibiUty, moisture resistance, and other properties. It is incorporated into a wide variety of adhesives through its use as a protective coUoid in emulsion p olymerization. 

FIG. 20-74 Effect of binder viscosity and liquid content on final granule porosity for the drum granulation of 15 im glass baUotini. Decreasing granule porosity corresponds to increasing extent of granule consolidation. [Iveson et al., Powder Tech., 88, 15 (1996). ] With land permission from Elsevier Science SA, Lausanne, Switzerland. 

The main purpose of pesticide formulation is to manufacture a product that has optimum biological efficiency, is convenient to use, and minimizes environmental impacts. The active ingredients are mixed with solvents, adjuvants (boosters), and fillers as necessary to achieve the desired formulation. The types of formulations include wettable powders, soluble concentrates, emulsion concentrates, oil-in-water emulsions, suspension concentrates, suspoemulsions, water-dispersible granules, dry granules, and controlled release, in which the active ingredient is released into the environment from a polymeric carrier, binder, absorbent, or encapsulant at a slow and effective rate. The formulation steps may generate air emissions, liquid effluents, and solid wastes. 

Using silicon nitride powder in a polypropylene/microcrystalline wax/stearic acid binder formulation, the effect of filler volume fraction (V) (over the range 50 to 70%) on relative viscosity (rjj.) was predicted from Eq. 5 ... 

The key to the successful application of high performance, pourable nitrocellulose plastisols lies in a reasonably priced, high quality source of fine-particle, at least partially colloided, spheroidal nitrocellulose. Here we are speaking of particles much finer than the well-known ball powder, produced by the Olin Mathieson Chemical Co. for small arms for over 30 years (7). Actually, particles on the order of 5-50/x diameter appear to be required to assure a reasonable continuum of uniformly plasticized nitrocellulose binder in a propellant containing 45% or more of combined crystalline oxidizer and powdered metal fuel. Such a continuum of binder is necessary to assure acceptable mechanical properties and reproducible burning characteristics of the finished propellant. Preincorporation of a certain content of the water-insoluble solids within the nitrocellulose microspheres is an effective means of helping to assure this continuum of binder and alleviates the requirements for extremely small ball size. The use of a total of 45% or more of crystalline oxidizer and (generally) metal fuel is essential if the propellant is to be competitive with other modern propellants now in service. 

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