When to Pulverize

The nonhomogeneity of materials in the real world presents a serious sampling dilemma: how to represent a large, often nonuniform whole with a small analytical sample. Often the best approach is first to take a quantity of the material large enough to be compositionally representative and reduce it to fine homogeneous powder. Then the sample can be adapted to a particular analytical technique, and used as is, pressed into a sample disc, fused, dissolved, etc. SPEX SamplePrep has laboratory mills and grinding containers capable of pulverizing and blending all kinds of spectroscopic samples, from metals to plastics, rocks to living tissue, and pesticides to pharmaceuticals.

How to Select a Laboratory Mill

SPEX SamplePrep mills can solve almost any grinding problem. The choice of laboratory mill is determined by the character and quantity of the material to be ground. If it can be pulverized by impact at room temperature, you have choice of several excellent mills. The Shatterbox is ideal for the rapid grinding of large (10 -100ml ) samples; moderate amounts to micro-samples can be handled by our 8000M, 8000D and 5100 Mixer/Mills. Brittle materials that require shearing as well as impact are more suited for the 5200 Micro Hammer-Cutter Mill, which is effective in grinding wool, paper, dried plants, wood, soft rocks, and similar substances. Flexible or heat-sensitive samples such as polymers and tissues can be chilled in liquid nitrogen and ground in the 6750 and 6850 Freezer/Mills.