(400e) A Combined Experimental-Computational Study of Cohesive Powders Under Consolidation By Xrct Image Analysis and DEM Simulation

Understanding and predicting structural and dynamical characteristics of cohesive powder systems is a technical challenge in many powder technology processes and applications. Advances in experimental techniques such as X-ray computed tomography (XRCT) have enabled characterization of cohesive powder systems with sub-micron resolution. Combined with standard bulk powder characterization methods, this technique allows for mesoscopic structural characteristics of cohesive powder systems to be determined. In this study, XRCT and the Discrete Element Method (DEM) are used to characterize the mesoscale structure, under controlled consolidation conditions, of two cohesive (roughly spherical) powders with distinct material properties. The DEM simulations are based on a constitutive elasto-plastic model that makes use of the JKR theory to account for cohesive interparticle forces. The density and void space structure obtained from DEM simulation are compared to characterization results obtained from XRCT image analysis. The ability of DEM simulation and the contact model to accurately predict these characteristics is discussed.