Influence of milling parameters on particle size of ulexite material

Abstract

Commercial raw ulexite (U) materials were milled from 0h to 8h by using mechanical milling technique for various initial powder size (−3mm; −75μm), ball to powder ratio (5:1; 10:1), and ball size (10mm; 5mm). Particle size, morphology, elemental, and crystal structure measurements of the milled powders were performed. In the particle size distribution analysis, the smallest d50 and d10 values were respectively found as 8.846μm and 790nm for U_5m powder (obtained from that initial powder with −3mm in size was milled by balls with 5mm in size) at 0.5h. In the morphology analysis, the microstructure of the U_5m powder was observed to be more homogeneous by means of milling process. In the elemental analysis, it was deduced that the U_5m powder is not a pure compound. In the crystal structure analysis, it was determined that the crystal structure of the U_5m powder is exponentially deteriorated with increasing the milling time, and then it has become an amorphous structure at the end of 8h. The crystalline size of the U_5m powder is reduced to 15.5nm after 4h of milling. The results of this study are considered to be useful for future nano studies and industrial applications of ceramic ulexite compound, which is a boron mineral.