Home – Home – Jornals – Chemistry for Sustainable Development 2009 number 6

The possibility of the mechanochemical synthesis of nanopowders of magnesium and zinc oxides for use as modifying additives to polymers was studied. The process of obtaining nanopowder includes four stages: dehydration of the initial salt, treatment in the planetary mill, washing by means of decantation, and drying. Manganese and zinc chlorides were used as the initial salt. Dehydration was carried out at a temperature corresponding to the removal of adsorption and crystallization water as determined by means of TGA. Then the salt was treated in a planetary mill for 2-3 h in the presence of a phase separating agent (sodium nitrite NaNO₂). The treatment process was accompanied by powder dispersing and the mechanochemical reaction between the initial chloride and the salt matrix of NaNO₂. The moment of reaction completion was determined on the basis of pressure change inside the reaction volume with time. The mixture of oxides and water-soluble salts, obtained as a result of the mechanochemical reaction, was washed by centrifuging and then the formed precipitate was dried. The resulting oxides were investigate with the help of X-ray structural analysis, scanning electron microscopy, measurements of specific surface with the help of BET procedure, laser analyzer of particle size. It was established that the proposed procedure allows obtaining oxide particles with the average size of 60-140 nm.