This result shows that 20% by weight is retained

Defining Particle Size on the coarsest screen, the 20 mesh, while 45% is
Introduction: Particle size (PS) is an important consideration between 20 and 60-mesh. The “+” sign means the
for many applications of chemical salts. Particle size percentage held on the screen and the “–” sign means
distribution (PSD) is also regarded as a critical parameter in the amount that passes through the screen. Other times
some applications where either the fines or the coarse material the terminology used is “ON” which means the amount held
may impede the results that the customer is trying to achieve. on the screen and “THRU” which means the amount that
passes through the screen.
Particle size can be measured and discussed in various ways.
When considering average particle size, it is important to Another complicating factor is these laboratory sieve sizes are
realize that many measurement instruments give values as if normally in US Standard screens, which are used in laboratories
all particles are spherical in shape. The various instruments in the US and many places around the world. However, there are
each give different values because of subtle differences in their two other commonly used types of screens, Tyler and Tensile
method of determining the particle size. Bolting Cloth (TBC), which are used in manufacturing around the
world. These production screens give different values. Although
Types of Measuring Equipment: For chemical salts, there
60-mesh still means 60 openings per linear inch, the size of
are two major ways of measuring and expressing PS: sieve
the wires are different thus giving different size holes and thus
size and laser diffraction. The results from these two types
different results.
of PS determinations are expressed quite differently. A sieve
size study gives results as a mesh designation. For example,
10% on a 60-mesh sieve can be shown as 10% +60 mesh.
A PS laser diffraction device gives average PS in microns.
It can be a median or mean average PS or can give PS
percentage at different sizes such as 50% < 20 microns (d50)
and 100% < 100 microns (d100).

Sieving: For sieve size measurements, there are basically two

methods commonly used: Rotap and air jet. These methods can
give different results for the same screen size. In Rotap, several
screens are normally stacked and the screen openings get
successively smaller from top to bottom. The sample is placed
on the top screen and the instrument taps or shakes the stack
of screens for a defined period of time. This tapping moves the
sample around the first screen and the material that is smaller
than the sieve size and shaped and oriented properly falls to the
next screen. This continues until the original sample has been
separated into its various sieve
size fractions. The results are MESH %
expressed as the percent on the +20 20% Air Jet Sieve
various screens. For example the +60 45% Another instrument that measures particle sieve size is an
results of a typical sample may be
+120 30% air jet sieve apparatus. This device uses vacuum below the
expressed as:
-120 5% sieve and pulls the product through the screen. For example
the product is placed on the top of a 60-mesh screen and the
vacuum applied below the screen. The finer particles go into

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the vacuum while the +60-mesh remains on the screen and is soluble. The laser provides a diffraction pattern. Through
weighed giving the +60-mesh result. This gives a good value mathematical modeling the particle size is determined. Many
for the +60-mesh. Because of the use of the vacuum, there of these instruments can measure the PS as a dry powder
is a more efficient separation of also. Each of these instruments and methods give somewhat
the finer particles which yields a different values.
MESH %
number for the +60 that is closer
to the actual value than using the
+40 10.2% The graph below shows the PSD of a typical product.
normal Rotap which allows some +60 46.6% The results give the actual amount in each PS
hang-up of the smaller particles +80 1.2% diameter. The graph shows 10% of the particles are
(e.g. static electricity). Air jet smaller than 15.71 µm (point A) and 90% are smaller
+100 12.6%
sieving is designed for one screen than 54.24 µm (point B). From this data, one lot can be
+120 14.4%
at a time. The results may be compared to another. This comparison may be critical if
-120 15.0% one is tabletting the product and it requires a certain percent
expressed like this:
of coarse material and a very small amount of the fine
Sieving results can vary slightly from test to test. Sometimes material. The summary in the table can give an experienced
fine particles that may pass through the screen in one person the basic PSD of the sample.
instance may get hung up in the bulk of the product retained
on the screen in another instance and not fall through. Also Graph of a typical result:
many particles are longer in one direction (rods, fibers, etc.)
so they must be oriented properly for them to pass through Point B

the screen pore. Normally this variation is not a cause for

concern. For most chemical salts, successive samples give
very similar results.

Laser Instruments: The other major source of PS

determination is with instruments that use lasers to measure
particle size. The common laser diffraction instruments are Point A
Microtrac, Malvern, and Beckman Coulter. The product
is suspended in a solvent in which the product is not

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The normal results from screen sieve size are given in mesh Particle Size and Specific Surface Area (SSA): Particle size
while the results from laser diffraction are in microns (µm). The would relate exactly to SSA if all the particles were spherical
table below compares some values. and had no pores. A simple calculation is all that is needed to
go from particle size to SSA for each particle. Unfortunately,
U.S. STD. MESH INCHES MICRONS it is not that easy in the real world of powders. Particles are
6 0.1320 3360 not normally exactly spherical and are not all the same size.
There is a general correlation that the smaller the particle size,
10 0.0787 2000
the higher the SSA, but that only goes so far. Particle size
14 0.0555 1410
determinations by laser diffraction devices will report surface
20 0.0331 841 area as SSA. SSA by laser diffraction has a separate and
30 0.0232 595 distinct meaning from surface areas determined by gas or
40 0.0165 400 liquid adsorption techniques such as Brunauer-Emmett-Teller.
50 0.0117 297
60 0.0098 250
CASE STUDY
J
80 0.0070 177
ost was asked to assist a customer to increase
100 0.0059 149
the viscosity of their finished product.
120 0.0049 125 The customer would occasionally dispose of
140 0.0041 105 batches of finished product if the viscosity was
too low. Since the chemical salt from Jost was
170 0.0035 88 the largest component in the product formula,
200 0.0029 74 the customer believed that the biggest impact
270 0.0021 53 might come from changing the particle size
distribution of the chemical salt. After nine
325 0.0017 44 months of measuring and recording the particle
400 0.0015 37 size distribution, calculating the resultant surface
area and measuring the viscosity of the finished
The data from different types of laser PS equipment are product, the customer was able to correlate the
not equivalent. Care must be taken if specifications are set calculated surface area with the viscosity of
the finished product. The customer confirmed
with one type and the customer uses another type of PS
that the small change made in the particle size
equipment. The Malvern, Beckman Coulter and Microtrac distribution resulted in a higher average viscosity
each give slightly different distributions. in the finished product and no rejection of any
finished product.

Conclusion: Particle Size and Particle Size Distribution are

often useful parameters of powders. There are several methods
to determine and define these parameters. Care must be taken
to understand how the measurement is made and how that
will relate to the property that is considered critical for the use
of that product. Jost Chemical Co. has the expertise to
determine these parameters and help the customer understand
how they can be used in their individual application.

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