Effect of the Sample Concentration on the Submicrometer Particles Produced During a Stirred Ball Milling of Calcite Powders

Wet ultra fine grinding of a calcite powder has been investigated in a stirred ball mill with respect to the effect of slurry concentration. The grinding rate on the submicrometer range was measured and the grinding constant on the grinding rate (K) in the grinding kinetics equation was examined. It is observed that the grinding rate for calcite in the submicrometer size range is different for different sample concentrations. It was found that the lower the sample concentration, the better the grinding rate. Furthermore, an empirical grinding rate (K)-sample concentration model provides a good fit to the grinding results under the experimental conditions investigated. The K improved by a maximum of 1.6 times at 700 rpm and 19.1 times 300 rpm for various sample concentrations, respectively. We confirmed that sample concentration affected the grinding rate of the submicrometer-size powder during the grinding process.