Influence of surface roughness created by admixing smaller particles on improving discharge particle flowability of main particles

Particle flowability can be improved by admixing with particles smaller than the main particles. However, the mechanism by which this technique improves flowability is not yet fully understood. In this study, we focused on vibrating discharge particle flowability as one type of flowability and investigated the influence of the main particle roughness created by the adhesion of the admixed particles on improving the flowability. The diameters of the main and admixed particles (MPs and APs) were 41.4 or 60.8 μm and 8 or 104 nm, respectively. The main and admixed particles were mixed in various mass ratios, and the discharge particle flow rates of the mixed particles were measured. Scanning electron microscopy images were acquired from two different angles to determine the three-dimensional surface roughness using image analysis software. We then calculated the coating structure parameters from the obtained three-dimensional surface roughness. The observed trends for improving the vibrating discharge particle flowability were found to differ from those reported for compression particle flowability. Furthermore, the main particle roughness conditions that led to the greatest improvement involved the presence of several admixed particle agglomerations between the main particles.