Synthesis of SrCO3 nano-powder from Celestite ore by mechanical milling

In the present investigation, strontium carbonate nano-powder was synthesized by mechano-chemical reaction of celestite (natural ore of strontium) and sodium carbonate during high energy mechanical milling. A planetary ball mill operated for different durations up to 16 hours and various Na2CO3:SrSO4 molar ratios of 1.05:1, 1.15:1 and 1.25:1. X-Ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis have been used for characterization. XRD analysis showed that in a Na2CO3:SrSO4 molar ratio of 1.05:1, mechano-chemical reaction started within less than 1 hour of milling and the amount of conversion increased on increasing milling time and it has not been completed after 16 hours of milling. However, by increasing the molar ratio of Na2CO3:SrSO4 to 1.25:1, the SrCO3 formation was completed up to 2 hours of milling. The results also showed that the mean crystallites sizes of produced nano-powder were less than 50 nm. SEM results showed that the final product consisted of spherical particles and the agglomerates included SrCO3 nano particles with the mean size of 80 nm.

Keywords:

Strontium carbonate , Celestite , Nano-powder , Mechanical milling