Powder Technology

The Competence Center for Powder Technology focuses on product design of ceramic, metallic and composite material mixtures. It is the aim of development to manufacture homogeneous products with tailored functionalities: compaction behavior, flowability, structure (homogeneous/graded), electric/magnetic/catalytic properties.

On the basis of the engineering requirements for solids mixtures single components are chosen, homogenized separately or as mixture, milled and prepared as suspension, dry mixture or granulate. The properties can be optimized in a wide range by adjusting the dispersing fluid (water/solvent) and the polymer components (dispersant, binder, lubricant) as well as the technological parameters.

After screening tests and determining the composition, the technological parameters are optimized in laboratory scale. In pilot scale composition and technology as well as reproducibility can be verified. The partner is supported in the manufacturing of small batches and during the market launch by supplying larger masses (100 kg to 10 t). In this process, high purity and inert process conditions (inert gas, explosion-proof) are essential in all process steps of powder preparation.

Products and services offered

• Contract research and joint projects, feasibility studies
  
• Development and testing of methods to characterize granule properties
  
• Technological services (product characterization, powder conditioning)
  
• Process and technology development in the preindustrial scale
  
• Technology transfer
  
• Consulting and training programs together with the Fraunhofer demonstration center »AdvanCer« and the German Ceramic Society (DKG)

On behalf of the DKG, the following advanced training courses for customers of industry and research are carried out each year, together with the Dry Pressing working group of the Technische Universität Dresden (chair of Inorganic Non-Metallic Materials):

• Technological fundamentals of granulation and granule processing (April, since 1997)
  
• Spray drying of ceramic suspensions – Technology and design of experiments (September, since 2005)

Processes

• Milling (coarse, fine, nano milling, dry, wet)
  
• Spray drying
  
• Fluidized bed technique
  
• Intensive mixing methods (dry-wet)
  
• Suspension coating of planar and rotation-symmetric components
  
• Product characterization