Metal Powders
Fine metal powders are high value products that may be produced with the Szego Mill by wet or paste grinding in a “locked cycle”, with product recycled to the mill inlet until the desired fineness is achieved. Softer metals such as aluminum and copper may be ground. Cooling may be necessary for paste grinding, for which the mill can be equipped with a cooling jacket.
Aluminum
Aluminum must be ground wet since fine dry aluminum particulate can be explosive. This material is ground as a paste in oil, mineral spirits or other solvents. Applications include paint and other reflective coatings. Chopped aluminum wire has been ground in the Szego Mill as a paste in mineral oil, with stearic acid added to prevent agglomeration.
Szego Mill aluminum grinding results
| Particle size, d50 (µm) | Flake thickness (µm) | |
| Aluminum in mineral oil with 2% stearic acid: 30 and 50 wt% aluminum paste product | 45 – 146 | < 1 |