5mm Grinding Ball, Zirconium Oxide

5mm Zirconium Oxide Grinding Balls for Fritsch Planetary Mills

These 5mm Zirconium Oxide (ZrO2) Grinding Balls are specifically designed for optimal sample preparation within Fritsch Planetary Mills. They play a critical role in determining the final particle size of your ground sample, influencing both the fineness and efficiency of the milling process.

Optimizing Your Grinding Process:

• Ball Size Impact: As a general guideline, using larger grinding balls typically results in a coarser final product due to higher impact energy, while smaller balls lead to finer particle sizes through increased contact points and friction. For consistent and precise results, it is crucial to use balls of a uniform size within any single grinding application.
• Quantity and Efficiency: While increasing the number of balls can reduce grinding times and achieve finer distributions, this holds true up to an optimal loading point. We recommend empirical user trials to determine the perfect ball size and quantity for your specific material and desired fineness.
• Loading Guidelines: To ensure effective grinding action, the combined volume of grinding balls and your sample should not exceed two-thirds of the grinding bowl's total capacity. This leaves the crucial one-third free space necessary for proper agitation, impact, and friction during the planetary motion.

Material Selection and Contamination:

For efficient comminution and to minimize wear and potential contamination, always select grinding balls made from a material harder than your sample. Zirconium Oxide is highly recommended for its exceptional hardness, wear resistance, and chemical inertness. For extremely hard or abrasive samples, Zirconium Oxide balls used in corundum bowls, or tungsten carbide balls in steel bowls, can significantly enhance grinding efficiency. Be aware that using dissimilar materials carries a risk of cross-contamination, which could impact the purity and analytical integrity of your sample. Zirconium Oxide offers high purity, making it suitable for many sensitive applications where contamination must be minimized.

Key Features of Zirconium Oxide Grinding Balls:

• High Density (5.7 g/cm³): This high density translates to greater kinetic energy during milling, making these balls exceptionally effective for reducing the particle size of tough and dense samples.
• Superior Hardness and Wear Resistance: Zirconium Oxide's robust properties ensure excellent longevity and minimal material wear, making it ideal for grinding fibrous and highly abrasive materials with low contamination rates.
• Chemical Inertness: Resists reaction with a wide range of chemicals, preserving the integrity and purity of your sample.
• Recommended for: Fibrous and abrasive samples.
• Bowl Size Compatibility: Suitable for 80ml, 250ml, and 500ml grinding bowls.

Ordering Information:

Grinding balls with a 3mm diameter and smaller are sold in packs of 100 pieces. All other ball sizes, including these 5mm Zirconium Oxide balls, are sold individually. Please note that Classic Grinding Bowls or Premium Grinding Bowls are purchased separately.