CUSTOMER BACKGROUND
The customer is a mid-sized manufacturer of eco-friendly flame retardant materials based in Zibo, Shandong Province. Zibo is one of China’s major hubs for aluminum-based advanced materials, hosting a complete industrial chain from alumina smelting to aluminum hydroxide flame retardants and fine ceramics. The region benefits from well-established upstream and downstream supply networks and efficient logistics.
The company produces micron-grade aluminum hydroxide flame retardants for wire and cable, rubber products, electronic potting compounds, and building materials. In recent years, end customers have raised the bar on particle size consistency and dispersibility, and the company’s existing powder could no longer meet the demands of the high-end market.
PROJECT REQUIREMENTS
The aluminum hydroxide feedstock the customer had been using showed an excessively wide particle size distribution. D97 reached 104 μm and D100 approached 200 μm, with coarse particles making up a significant fraction. These oversized particles caused uneven dispersion when blending the flame retardant into polymer matrices, directly compromising flame retardant efficiency and surface quality of the finished products.
The customer had a clear goal: bring D97 below 50 μm through precision classification, tighten the size distribution, and increase the specific surface area — delivering a more consistent raw material to downstream users.
SOLUTION
After analyzing the material properties, the EPIC Powder technical team recommended the company’s high-precision воздушный классификатор. The unit features a multi-stage turbine classification design that delivers sharp particle cuts through independent adjustment of rotor speed and system airflow. It is particularly well-suited to non-metallic minerals like aluminum hydroxide, which offer moderate density and good flowability.
Trials were conducted at the EPIC Powder application lab using water as the dispersion medium. A laser particle size analyzer was used to compare samples before and after classification.
CLASSIFICATION RESULTS
Key Performance Highlights:
25.6% — D50 reduction
60.5% — D97 reduction
32.3% — Specific surface area increaseDetailed Comparison:
| Параметр | Before | После | Change |
| D50 (мкм) | 17.21 | 12.81 | ↓ 25.6% |
| D97 (μm) | 104.18 | 41.17 | ↓ 60.5% |
| D100 (μm) | 191.47 | 59.23 | ↓ 69.1% |
| Охватывать | 3.53 | 2.25 | ↓ 36.2% |
| Volume Mean D(4,3) (μm) | 26.40 | 15.13 | ↓ 42.7% |
| Specific Surface Area (m²/kg) | 377.7 | 499.5 | ↑ 32.3% |
Key Takeaway: After classification, particles larger than 60 μm were virtually eliminated. D100 dropped from 191 μm to 59 μm. The distribution width (Span) narrowed from 3.53 to 2.25, dramatically improving powder uniformity. The specific surface area rose from 377.7 m²/kg to 499.5 m²/kg — an increase of nearly one-third — directly contributing to greater contact area between the flame retardant and the polymer matrix, which translates to better flame retardant efficiency.
CUSTOMER FEEDBACK
The customer expressed strong satisfaction with the classified samples and the complete particle size analysis report. Technical specifications for the full-scale production equipment have been confirmed, and the procurement process is now underway. This successful project has also established a proven classification process that other companies in Zibo’s aluminum-based materials cluster can reference.
EPIC Powder — Complete Solutions for Ultrafine Powder Grinding & Classification
www.epicmilling.com | [email protected]