It is not recommended to use a ball mill for PXRD sample prep: This type of mills has a small (point) active grinding surface and applies a high energy to this point. As a result, you will get a broad particle size distribution, including a number of overmuch big grains and a high degree of amorphization respectively additional defects in the material. Narrow particle size distribution with a minimum of structural damage can be obtained by wet grinding in mills with high active grinding surface (big number of smal grinding elements), e.g. the McCrone micronizing mill. See:
Hillier, S. (2003) Quantitative analysis of clay and other minerals in sandstones by X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD). International Association of Sedimentologists Special Publication, *34*, 213-251. Reinhard [EMAIL PROTECTED] schrieb: > Dear all rietvelders, > > Do anyone of you use the ball miller for PXRD sample preparation? > Since I am going to buy one such system. Any comment is highly > appreciated. > > many thanks in advance > > stephen >
