15-03
A.A.C. Bode, M. Verschuren, M. Jansen, S. Jiang,
J.A.M. Meijer, W.J.P. van Enckevort,
E. Vlieg,
Influence of anticaking
agents on the caking of sodium chloride at the powder and two-crystal scale,
Powder Technology 277 (2015)
262-267
Abstract:
The effectivity of the anticaking
agents ferrocyanide, ferricyanide
and iron(III) meso-tartrate on the caking of
sodium chloride was studied at the powder scale and on a two-crystal scale.
Using the integrated stirring energy as a measure of caking strength of the
powders gives results that agree well with industrial experience with these
anticaking agents. For two single crystals, the required separation force was
used as a measure for the caking strength. In this case, higher dosages of
anticaking agents are required to prevent caking. This is caused by an increase
in the number of contact points between the crystals, as was concluded from the
surface morphology of the sodium chloride crystals, which we studied using
atomic force microscopy. This change of the surface morphology is in turn
caused by the applied anticaking agents. This shows that it is not only the
surface area, but also the number of contact points, and thus the particle size
distribution, which are critical in determining the optimal dosage of
anticaking agents on caking powders.
Graphical abstract
