Page 18 - Industrial_Technology_EXTRA_May_11th_2020_Classical

ADHESIVES...

Achieving bubble-free mixing

Peter Swanson, managing director of Intertronics, explains the benefits of planetary
centrifugal mixers and whether an atmospheric or vacuum type mixer is needed

here are many industrial
processes which require fast
mixing of liquids, pastes and
Tpowders, and where the
uniformity and homogeneity of these
mixes is vital. These include
adhesives, inks, cosmetics, pharma-
ceuticals, sealants, LED phosphors,
nanoparticles, dental materials and
more. Planetary centrifugal mixers
can be suitable when working with
materials that are difficult to mix —
such as liquids or pastes with
differing viscosities, or powders which
are difficult to wet. Moreover,
avoiding or removing entrapped air is
often very important.
Planetary centrifugal mixers can
mix, disperse and degas materials in
seconds to minutes, in the user’s own
product container. The planetary
mixing action combines rotation and
revolution ― the material container
rotates at a 45-degree angle while it revolves in a this type of equipment for small to large amounts of
set radius. The technology results in a fast, fully many materials, including silicones, conductive
homogenous mix and, unlike machines which rely pastes, chemical materials and more.
on the insertion of paddles or impellers into the Thinky planetary mixers have two standard
material, no air is introduced; in fact, there is a modes, “mixing” and “defoaming”. In mixing mode
tendency for any entrapped air to be removed. the materials are under an acceleration of up to
The mixers are suitable for materials with very 400G, which results in a very fast uniform mix,
low viscosity to very high viscosity ― from water-like even of substances of very different viscosities. The
up to 100 million centipoise. Manufacturers use defoaming or degassing mode imparts a more

May 2020 • INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY EXTRA! • p18