Ultimate Particles

Physical particles of materials are those we can measure using ordinary sieves. Using water washing and standard wire mesh sieves it is normally only possible to determine the range of particle sizes of a powder sample down to 325 mesh (about 40 microns). However the particles measured by this means are agglomerates of hundreds or even thousands of ultimate particles. In ceramics, we are dealing with ultimate particles smaller than this in almost all materials. Ball clays, for example, have particles one tenth of a micron in size, 400 times smaller than 325 mesh. It is common for +95% of many materials to pass a 325 screen. Understanding materials fully means being aware of these particles, their sizes, shapes, densities, etc. An interesting example to illustrate is a water-washed and processed large-particle-size kaolin intended for the casting process. It is likely that 99.9% of such a material will wash right through a 325 mesh screen, making it appear to be a very fine powder. However the opposite is the case, in terms of ultimate particles and in relation to other clays, it has a very large particle size. On the other hand, a plastic kaolin may leave residue on a 200 mesh screen and appear to be coarser, whereas actually its ultimate particles could be 10 times smaller.

To effectively measure ultimate particle sizes advanced testing equipment is needed. These devices use xray or photographic techniques. For example, many devices simply take a micro photograph of an air suspended powder sample and then software analyzes the photo to produce the desired measurement. The rate of sedimentation also reveals information about ultimate particles.

Out Bound Links

• (Glossary) Colloid

  Colloidal particles are so small and light that th...

In Bound Links

• (Glossary) Particle orientation

  Clay particles are flat and are either randomly or...

• (Tests) AVPS - Average Particle Size (Microns)
• (Tests) MDPS - Median Particle Size (Microns)
• (Tests) L1M - % < 1 micron
• (Tests) L2M - % < 2 microns
• (Tests) L10M - % < 10 microns
• (Tests) L20M - % < 20 microns
• (Tests) UPSD - Ultimate Particle Size Distribution
• (Tests) L5M - % < 0.5 microns
• (Glossary) Clay Shrinkage

  All clays shrink during drying. Generally the amou...

• (Glossary) Plasticity

  This term is used in reference to clays (or more o...

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