Papers by Author: Min Tan

Abstract: Determination of particle size and shape factors of the corundum powders by SEM image analysis has been reported in our preceding work. However, the effect of sample preparation and image processing has not been investigated. In order to obtain appropriate images, samples was well-dispersed by vibrating particles manually up and down, and then thicker Pt coating was well sputter coated on the surface of samples; compared with the magnifications of 100 and 32, magnification of 50 was more reasonable; for distinguishing particles from image background properly, the gray threshold value of 70 was set to transform gray image to binary image; to decrease image noises, three image filters, i.e. Erosion Filter, Dilation Filter and Median Filter were investigated and the last one was the most effective. This method of sample preparation and image processing can be used in regular and irregular particles determination.

Abstract: Fused silica micro-powders with D₅₀ of 1.8μm were firstly prepared by ball milling. Effects of milling time on particle size distribution and microstructures of the powders were discussed. Then, the green compacts with volume density of 1.86g/cm³ was obtained by slip casting with lactic acid as dispersant. Effects of lactic acid content on apparent viscosity of the slurry, thickness and density of the green compacts were investigated. Finally, fused silica ceramics with thermal expansion coefficient of 0.56∙10^-6/°C, bending strength of 64MPa and volume density of 1.94g/cm³ were prepared.

Abstract: Nano-TiO2 coating film is one of the efficient photocatalysts. The particle size distribution of TiO2 has important influence on photocatalytic activity. A new method to determine the particle size distribution of TiO2 nano-film coated on ceramic was developed, by which the images of film acquired by Atom force microscope (AFM) were processed, and TiO2 particles contacted with others were separated and detected. The particle size distributions of two TiO2 nano-films were determined.

Abstract: The shape of inorganic powder particles, prepared by spray-drying process, is close to sphere, and the dry conditions have greater effect on the sphericity. The particle shape is normally described by words or shown by micrographs — these are qualitative and imprecise. In order to characterize the particle shape quantitatively, three shape factors, i.e. aspect ratio (M), roundness (R) and concavity (C), are proposed to describe the particle shape of the inorganic powders in different aspects. An image process method, that “holes” were filled and then particle clusters were separated, was developed and applied in scanning electron microscope (SEM) image in which some particles with “shadow” contact with each other. Mean shape factors, based on about 500 particles in 10 micrographs, are proposed to characterize the particle shape of the inorganic powders. The determination results of four inorganic powders show that cracking catalyst powders without silicon additive and produced after rebuilding of the spray-drying device are closer to spheres.