stainless steel tank
High strength and impact resistance, suitable for general metal and mineral samples.
TENCAN Professional Selection Guide
Planetary Ball Mill Selection Guide
Starting from the single tank volume, grinding method, sample hardness, target particle size and pollution control, the equipment, grinding tank and ball milling media are quickly matched.
XQM-4LSemicircular vertical planetary ball mill
4×1 L standard tank configurationSuitable for crushing, mixing and grinding of conventional samples.
4×0.5 L vacuum tank configurationSuitable for grinding samples that are sensitive to oxygen content and easily oxidized.
high energy planetary motionSuperposition of revolution and rotation
Up to nanometer finenessSuitable for high-energy fine grinding
Various tank materialsMatch by contamination and hardness
Flexible customized solutionsVacuum, cryogenic and continuous operation
01 · SELECTION START
Starting point for selection: first determine the tank configuration and single tank volume
4Tank sync configurationThis series adopts a unified four-tank structure and can process multiple groups of samples in parallel. The total volume is not equal to the sample loading capacity; first confirm the effective loading of a single tank, the tank material and whether vacuum protection is required, and then infer the host model.
| Model | total volume | Optional volume of single tank | Typical uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| XQM-0.2 / XQM-0.2S | 0.2 L | Inner diameter 50 mm / height 60 mm | Preliminary screening of trace samples, valuable materials and formulas |
| XQM-0.4 / XQM-0.4A | 0.4 L | 25–100 mL | Microsamples and multiple parallel experiments |
| XQM-1 / XQM-1A | 1 L | 50–500 mL | Routine laboratory sample preparation |
| XQM-2 / XQM-2A | 2 L | 50–500 mL | Small batch, multiple groups of parallel grinding |
| XQM-4 / XQM-4A | 4 L | 250–1000 mL | General purpose laboratory grinding and mixing |
| XQM-6 / XQM-6A | 6 L | 1–1.5 L | Scale-up experiments and multiple sample preparation |
| XQM-8 / XQM-8A | 8 L | 1–2 L | Medium throughput material development |
| XQM-10 / XQM-10A | 10 L | 1–2.5 L | Experimental amplification and process parameter verification |
| XQM-12 / XQM-12A | 12 L | 1–3 L | R&D pilot and batch sample preparation |
| XQM-16 / XQM-16A | 16 L | 2–4 L | High-volume laboratory sample processing |
| XQM-20 | 20 L | 2–5 L | Pilot scale-up and powder processing |
| XQM-40 | 40 L | 5–10 L | Continuous R&D in larger batches |
| XQM-60 | 60 L | 10–15 L | Pre-production process verification |
| XQM-80 | 80 L | 15–20 L | Large-scale pilot plant preparation |
| XQM-100 | 100 L | 20–25 L | Large-scale process verification and production application |
| XQM-200 | 200 L | 50 L | Mass production applications |
Note: The actual charging amount needs to be calculated based on the ball-to-material ratio, material packing density, grinding method and safety margin. The data in the table is used for preliminary selection.
GRINDING JAR MATERIALS
Common grinding jar materials
Zirconia tank
High hardness, low wear, suitable for high purity and fine grinding.
polyurethane tank
Flexible and wear-resistant, suitable for powders that reduce metal contamination.
nylon can
Light weight, corrosion-resistant, suitable for medium to low hardness samples.
PTFE tank
Resistant to chemical corrosion, suitable for acid, alkali and sensitive systems.
agate jar
High purity, low pollution, suitable for spectral analysis and sample preparation.
corundum jar
High temperature resistance and wear resistance, suitable for ceramic and mineral powders.
Tungsten carbide tank
Ultra-high hardness, suitable for rapid crushing of difficult-to-grind hard materials.
02 · WORKING PRINCIPLE
Working principle of planetary ball mill
The grinding jar revolves with the main disk and rotates in the opposite direction along its own axis, generating high-frequency impact, collision, friction and shearing to achieve crushing, mixing, dispersion and mechanical alloying.
The planetary ball mill drives the grinding jar to revolve through the sun wheel. At the same time, the grinding jar rotates in the opposite direction, causing the grinding balls in the jar to produce complex motion trajectories, exerting impact, squeezing, friction and shearing on the materials to achieve efficient grinding and uniform mixing.
Dry grinding
- Easy to operate, no need to separate liquid media
- Suitable for water- or solvent-sensitive materials
- Temperature rise, dust and particle agglomeration need to be controlled
- Can be equipped with vacuum tank for inert atmosphere protection
Wet grinding
- Helps inhibit agglomeration and improve dispersion effect
- Slow temperature rise, suitable for long-term fine grinding
- It is necessary to confirm that the solvent is compatible with the tank and seals
- Add filtration, drying or solvent recovery after grinding
EFFICIENCY FACTORS
Key factors affecting grinding efficiency
Speed
Affects impact energy and motion status.
ball diameter
Large balls break, small balls facilitate refinement.
ball to material ratio
Determines the energy obtained per unit sample.
Grinding time
If it is too short, it will not be sufficient. If it is too long, it may cause heat.
Loading capacity
Allow space for media movement and impact.
Sample characteristics
Hardness, toughness, viscosity and heat sensitivity.
knowledge supplement
Common ball to material ratio
5:1–20:1According to sample characteristics and grinding purpose
Reasonably choose the ball-to-material ratio.
Recommended loading amount
tank volume 1/3–2/3Too little energy and insufficient utilization,
Too much influence on ball movement.
Ball diameter selection suggestions
Dry grindingOften equipped with larger ball diameter
Enhance impact energy
More conducive to ultra-fine
Get finer particles
Speed selection suggestions
efficiency Speed critical speedThe higher the speed, the better.
Need to be close to the optimal critical speed range
for higher efficiency.
03 · MACHINE TYPES
Common model structures and applicable scenarios
Different structures focus on solving problems such as operating space, bottom agglomeration, omnidirectional movement, special atmosphere and batch processing.
Semicircular vertical planetary ball mill
It has a compact structure and easy operation, and is suitable for routine experiments in universities and R&D institutions.
Square vertical planetary ball mill
It has stable operation and good sealing performance, and is suitable for general laboratory grinding.
Double planetary ball mill
The two tanks operate symmetrically and have high grinding efficiency, which is suitable for rapid processing of medium batch samples.
Planetary ball mill with liquid nitrogen device
Suitable for sensitive materials that are prone to oxidation, moisture absorption or require special atmosphere.
Heated planetary ball mill
Supports controlled temperature rise grinding, suitable for mechanochemical synthesis and thermal modification of materials.
KEY SELECTION POINTS
Key selection points
Sample hardness
The hardness of the tank and ball should be significantly higher than that of the sample.
target granularity
Nanoscale targets require attention to energy, time and dispersion.
Throughput
Calculated based on the effective charging capacity, it is not directly equivalent to the tank volume.
Is a vacuum required?
For sensitive materials, vacuum or inert atmosphere tanks are preferred.
Is low temperature control required?
Heat-sensitive materials need to be evaluated for cooling and intermittent operation.
Allowable contamination level
Select low-pollution grinding materials according to analysis requirements.
Whether to run continuously
Long-duration tasks focus on heat dissipation, noise, and longevity.
Installation space and power supply
Confirm size, load-bearing capacity, ventilation and on-site power supply.
APPLICATIONS
Typical application areas
Battery materialsPositive and negative electrodes, solid electrolytes and conductive agents
Ceramics and PowdersCeramic raw materials, functional powders and composite materials
Minerals and MetallurgyOre sample preparation, metal powder and mechanical alloying
Medicine/Chemical Industry/New MaterialsDrugs, Catalysts, Nano and Scientific Research Materials
04 · JAR & MEDIA MATCHING
Reference for matching grinding jars and ball milling media
Media selection needs to consider hardness, abrasion, density, corrosion resistance, sample purity and subsequent analysis methods.
| Tank material | Suitable for samples | Recommended Grinding Media | Main advantages | Things to note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| stainless steel tank | Metals, alloys, ores and general powders with medium hardness | stainless steel ball | High strength, impact resistance, moderate cost | May introduce iron contamination, not suitable for high-purity samples |
| Zirconia tank | Electronic ceramics, lithium battery materials, pigments and high-purity powders | Zirconia balls | High hardness, low wear and chemical stability | Avoid long-term high-energy collision with super-hard sharp particles |
| nylon can | Soft materials, organic matter, biological samples and low hardness powders | Zirconia ball or nylon ball | Light weight, corrosion resistance, low metal contamination | Not resistant to strong solvents and high temperatures, pay attention to material compatibility |
| polyurethane tank | Pigments, coatings, mineral powders and materials requiring flexible linings | polyurethane ball | Wear-resistant, noise reduction, metal pollution reduction | Need to confirm solvent and temperature range |
| PTFE tank | Corrosive, acid-base and metal-sensitive samples | Zirconia balls | Resistant to chemical corrosion and high cleanliness | Low hardness, not suitable for grinding super-hard materials |
| Tungsten carbide tank | Carbide, ore and high hardness difficult to grind samples | Tungsten carbide ball | High density and hardness, outstanding grinding efficiency | The cost is high, and you need to pay attention to tungsten and cobalt element pollution. |
Stainless steel tanks and steel balls
Suitable for general metal, ore and high impact grinding.
Nylon tanks and low pollution media
Suitable for soft, organic and low metal pollution requirements.
Polyurethane tank and grinding media
Wear-resistant, noise-reducing, suitable for pigments and flexible powder systems.
Zirconia tanks and zirconia balls
High hardness, low wear, suitable for high purity and fine grinding.
Free Sample Grinding Request
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