Some observations on the milling of alpha-lactose monohydrate with a Retsch single-ball mill are reported. The effects of mill loading and frequency of the mill motion were investigated. At a given frequency, a lower mill loading showed a higher milling efficiency. For a given mill loading, size reduction rate increased exponentially with frequency. The milling behavior was analyzed with three energy-based models; namely, Rittinger's, Kick's, and Bond's models. The results suggest that Rittinger's model best describes the milling behavior for low mill loadings at high frequencies, whereas the data for high loading milling at low frequencies fit Kick's model better. The results also indicate that attrition and/or chipping is the dominant mechanism for milling at low frequencies with high loadings because of the shear action of the milling ball rolling on the powder bed. Also, as a result of impact of the milling ball on the two ends of the milling jar, fragmentation is responsible for size reduction at high frequencies with low loadings.
Copyright 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.