Tutkimuslaitteet ja -ympäristöt

Particle size reduction

Particle size reduction in wet and dry environments includes milling of organic and inorganic materials to particle sizes down to submicron range. Versatile selection of equipments utilises several grinding mechanisms such as compression, impact, shear and attrition.

Fractionation and combining of particles

Particle fractionation in wet and dry environments includes separation of particles according to e.g. size, shape or surface properties. Equipment used in this purpose include among others screening, cycloning, elutriation, flotation, filtration and mechanical classifying. Combining of particles means flocculation and agglomeration. Equipment for both wet and dry processing are available.

Pilot environments

Two pilot plants are available. One for organic material such as wood fibres and another for inorganic materials like metal ores. The plants include grinding, fractionation and analysis as well as sampling equipment. Hourly capacities of environment range from tens to hundreds kilograms of dry material.

Particle analysis

Sample fractionation

Particle analysis is strongly based on preparative fractionation methods. Samples for analysis are divided according to their size and specific surface into different size fractions which are analysed separately. During the fractionation images of particles may be recorded for image analyses.

Size and shape of particles

Analysing of size and shape of particles is based on methods of sedimentation, light scattering, microscopy and electron microscopy for instance. Most commercial measuring principles are available and they are supported by advanced particle analysis tools developed within group.

Other particle properties

Analysing of other properties of powders or suspensions includes number methods measuring for instance mechanical properties, water retention, chemical composition, surface structure or chrystallinity. In addition to analysis tools of the group, the analysis infrastructure of Oulu University is available. That includes vast number of equipment in Department of Chemistry, Department of Physics, Biocenter, Micro and Nano Institute etc.

Viimeksi päivitetty: 26.11.2012

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