WET GRINDING/MEDIA MILLING
Particles are dispersed in a liquid by shearing forces (tearing apart), impact or impinging forces (crushed by outside force), and attrition (tearing and crushing each other apart). Custom Processing Services uses the NETZSCH Small Media Mill, the best available technology for this process.
A small media mill is an enclosed vessel filled with thousands of small spheres or beads (the grinding media) that are activated by a high speed agitator shaft, creating shearing and impacting forces. The agitator design selected is based on the material to be processed. The rotation of the agitator imparts energy to the surrounding media. These forces act on the solids suspended in a liquid as they are continuously pumped through the grinding chamber. The forces either tear apart and/or crush the solids, resulting in an overall reduction in the particle size. The particles are simultaneously dispersed in the liquid. Grinding media is retained inside the mill by the NETZSCH patented Dynamic Cartridge Media Separator. The process parameters are agitator speed and product flow rate plus type and size of the grinding media. This continuous process is made possible by utilizing a positive displacement pump.
nanotechnology /nan'-oh-tek-no"l*-jee/
Any fabrication technology in which objects are designed and built by the specification and placement of individual atoms or molecules or where at least one dimension is on a scale of nanometers.
The first unequivocal nanofabrication experiments took place in 1990, for example with the deposition of individual xenon atoms on a nickel substrate to spell the logo of a certain very large computer company.
The term nanotechnology was coined by K. Eric Drexler in his book "Engines of Creation."
nan·o·me·ter - n. Abbr. nm One billionth (10-9) of a meter.