8000D Mixer/Mill
Page 3 of 21 SPEX CertiPrep 8.21.03
SN and Higher
1. INTRODUCTION
SPEX CertiPrep Mixer/Mills are a variant of the ball mill or jar mill, which grinds samples by
placing them in a container along with one or more grinding elements, and imparting motion to
the container. Generally the containers and grinding elements are made from the same material.
As the container is swung, the inertia of the grinding elements causes them to move
independently, into each other and against the container wall, grinding the sample.
The 8000D Dual Mixer/Mill is an efficient two-clamp laboratory mill. The 8000-series
Mixer/Mills have been used for pulverizing rocks, minerals, sand, cement, slag, ceramics,
catalyst supports, and hundreds of other brittle, often hard samples in the 10-gram range.
Functionally described as a shaker mill or a high-energy ball mill, the 8000D Dual Mixer/Mill is
capable of rapidly shaking containers back and forth several thousand times a minute. This
multi-purpose mill is capable of rapidly reducing hard, brittle samples to analytical fineness,
blending powders, or making emulsions. It is also very effective for mechanical alloying.
With two clamps for increased throughput, the 8000D also features a variable-range electronic
timer, sleek modern design, forced-air cooling, a safety interlock, and a choice of steel, tungsten
carbide, agate, zirconia, silicon nitride, alumina, and plastic vials which are purchased separately.
This mill duplicates the pulverizing, blending, and alloying action of the proven, reliable 8000
Mixer/Mill. The vial, containing the sample and a ball or balls is secured in the clamp and swung
energetically back and forth. The back-and-forth shaking motion is combined with lateral
movements of the ends of the vial, so that the vial appears to be describing a figure-8 or infinity
sign as it moves. The length of that swing is the same as the internal length of the vial, about two
inches. With each swing of the vial the ball impacts against the sample and the end of the vial,
both milling and mixing the sample. Because of the amplitude and velocity of the clamp’s swing,
each ball develops fairly high G-forces, enough to pulverize the toughest rocks, slag and
ceramics.
The dual clamps of the 8000D Mixer/Mill not only allow twice as many samples to be ground in
a given time, but they also move in balance, reducing vibration and extending the life of the
mill’s components. A fan keeps the motor and clamp mechanisms cool during operation.
For assistance in choosing the SPEX CertiPrep grinding or blending containers which would be
best for your application, please call SPEX CertiPrep Sample Preparation at 1-800-522-7739 or
732-549-7144.
