pulverized

Pulverized is an adjective and past participle derived from pulverize, referring to materials that have been ground, crushed, or milled into fine particles or powder. The term is used across industries to describe substances that have been reduced from larger chunks to a powder form, whether intentional or as a processing step.

Production and methods: Pulverization typically involves sequential stages of coarse crushing followed by milling or grinding to achieve the desired particle size. Equipment used includes crushers for initial reduction, and mills such as ball mills, hammer mills, jet mills, or roller mills for finer grinding. The objective is to obtain a specific particle size distribution, often expressed by metrics like D50 (median particle size) or percent passing a given sieve.

Materials and applications: Pulverized materials span minerals and metals, coal, cementitious materials, and organic products. Pulverized coal is burned in power plants for rapid, uniform combustion. Pulverized limestone or other minerals serve as additives or fillers in construction and industrial processes. In pharmaceuticals, pulverized substances are used to make tablets, suspensions, or to enhance dissolution. In food and cosmetics, powders such as flour, sugar, spices, or cosmetic powders are common outputs. Pulverization also facilitates chemical reactions by increasing surface area and improving mixing.

Characteristics and handling: Pulverized products exhibit high surface area to volume ratios, increasing reactivity and dissolution but often increasing dustiness and flow challenges. Particle size, moisture, and morphology influence handling, storage, and compaction.

Safety considerations: Fine powders can pose inhalation hazards and, for combustible materials, fire or explosion risks. Dust control, proper ventilation, moisture management, and appropriate personal protective equipment are standard safety measures.

Pulverization remains a key process in manufacturing, enabling rapid reactions, uniform mixing, and convenient transport and formulation of many solids.