Certain aspects of the technology disclosed herein include an apparatus and method for forming nanoparticles. The method includes a mechanical milling process induced by aerodynamic, centrifugal, and centripetal forces and further augmented by ultrasound, magnetic pulse, and high voltage impact. A nanoparticle collider apparatus having an atmospheric and luminance controlled environment can form precisely calibrated nanoparticles. A nanoparticle mill can include first aerodynamic vane configured to rotate around a central axis of the nanoparticle mill in a first direction, and a second aerodynamic vane configured to rotate around the central axis in a second direction. An aerodynamic shape of an aerodynamic vane can be configured to cause particles within the nanoparticle mill to flow around the aerodynamic vane. The nanoparticle mill can include a primary product line, a nanoparticle sampling line, a particle programming array, a solidifying chamber, or any combination thereof.

One embodiment of a media handling system (5) is disclosed for mixing and or entraining grinding media (15) with a liquid media (10) for supply to a selected destination (D). In one form, the system (5) comprises a first media transfer module (30) configured operable for providing a flow of liquid media (10) having a respective flow condition to a first inlet (11) by way of which liquid media is receivable by the system (5). The system (5) comprises a second media transfer module (25) arranged in fluid communication with and downstream of both of the first inlet (11) and a second inlet (16) by way of which grinding media (15) is receivable by the system (5). The second media transfer module (25) is configured operable for supplying to the selected destination (D) a mixed flow of liquid and grinding media having a respective flow condition. In operation, one or both of the first (30) and second media transfer modules (25) are configured operable relative to the other for modifying one or both of the respective flow conditions so as to be operable or cooperable for facilitating a drawing or urging of a flow of the grinding media (15) into the system (5) via the second inlet (16) for controllably modifying a concentration of grinding media in the mixed flow of liquid and grinding media so as to converge toward and or substantially maintain a target concentration of grinding media (15) determined to be suitable for enabling supply of the mixed flow to the selected destination (D) by the second media transfer module (25).

A method of making Aluminum Nitride (AlN) from nut shells comprising preparing powders of agricultural nuts, preparing powders of nanocrystalline Al.sub.2O.sub.3, mixing the powders and thereby forming a homogenous sample powder of agricultural nuts and Al.sub.2O.sub.3, pressurizing the homogenous sample powder into a disk, heat treating or pyrolyzing the disk in a nitrogen atmosphere, reacting the disk and the nitrogen atmosphere and forming AlN, and wherein the AlN is nano-structured AlN and in a pure form and in the wurtzite phase of AlN. A method of producing Aluminum Nitride comprising milling nuts into a powder, milling a powder of nanocrystalline Al.sub.2O.sub.3, mixing, pressing into a pellet, providing nitrogen, heating, and forming AlN. An Aluminum Nitride product from preparing powders of nuts and Al.sub.2O.sub.3, mixing, and forming a powder, pressurizing into a disk, pyrolyzing in nitrogen, and forming AlN.

A method of making Aluminum Nitride (AlN) from nut shells comprising preparing powders of agricultural nuts, preparing powders of nanocrystalline Al.sub.2O.sub.3, mixing the powders and thereby forming a homogenous sample powder of agricultural nuts and Al.sub.2O.sub.3, pressurizing the homogenous sample powder into a disk, heat treating or pyrolyzing the disk in a nitrogen atmosphere, reacting the disk and the nitrogen atmosphere and forming AlN, and wherein the AlN is nano-structured AlN and in a pure form and in the wurtzite phase of AlN. A method of producing Aluminum Nitride comprising milling nuts into a powder, milling a powder of nanocrystalline Al.sub.2O.sub.3, mixing, pressing into a pellet, providing nitrogen, heating, and forming AlN. An Aluminum Nitride product from preparing powders of nuts and Al.sub.2O.sub.3, mixing, and forming a powder, pressurizing into a disk, pyrolyzing in nitrogen, and forming AlN.

A method of preparing an aluminum metaphosphate (ALMP) particulate product includes charging a milling chamber of a ball mill with grinding media and loading an ALMP feedstock into the milling chamber. The ALMP feedstock is milled with the grinding media into ALMP particles at a particle reduction index in a range from 0.25 to 0.5. At a plurality of time steps during a period in which the milling is carried out, a fine fraction of the ALMP particles is removed from the milling chamber while a coarse fraction of the ALMP particles remains in the milling chamber for additional milling. An ALMP particulate product with a particle size distribution having a median particle size in a range from 100 m to 700 m is prepared from the ALMP particles removed from the milling chamber.

A method of preparing an aluminum metaphosphate (ALMP) particulate product includes charging a milling chamber of a ball mill with grinding media and loading an ALMP feedstock into the milling chamber. The ALMP feedstock is milled with the grinding media into ALMP particles at a particle reduction index in a range from 0.25 to 0.5. At a plurality of time steps during a period in which the milling is carried out, a fine fraction of the ALMP particles is removed from the milling chamber while a coarse fraction of the ALMP particles remains in the milling chamber for additional milling. An ALMP particulate product with a particle size distribution having a median particle size in a range from 100 m to 700 m is prepared from the ALMP particles removed from the milling chamber.

An agitator ball mill comprises agitating discs (18) on an agitating shaft, wherein two adjacent agitating discs (18) are bounding a grinding cell, respectively. The agitating discs (18) comprise grinding material passage openings (28) which are only arranged in the immediate proximity of a grinding chamber inner boundary (19), which connect adjacent grinding cells, and which have a radially outer boundary that has a distance R28 starting from the grinding chamber inner boundary (19) in the radial direction of the agitating disc (18). For the ratio of the distance R28 of the radially outer boundaries of the grinding material passage openings (28) to a radial extension R18 of the agitating discs (18), the following condition applies: 0.05.Math.R18R280.25.Math.R18. Otherwise the agitating discs (18) are closed.

An agitator ball mill comprises agitating discs (18) on an agitating shaft, wherein two adjacent agitating discs (18) are bounding a grinding cell, respectively. The agitating discs (18) comprise grinding material passage openings (28) which are only arranged in the immediate proximity of a grinding chamber inner boundary (19), which connect adjacent grinding cells, and which have a radially outer boundary that has a distance R28 starting from the grinding chamber inner boundary (19) in the radial direction of the agitating disc (18). For the ratio of the distance R28 of the radially outer boundaries of the grinding material passage openings (28) to a radial extension R18 of the agitating discs (18), the following condition applies: 0.05.Math.R18R280.25.Math.R18. Otherwise the agitating discs (18) are closed.

A rock crushing assembly is provided in the form of a pulverizing tumbler. The apparatus includes a faceted tumbler having a plurality of faceted end walls, a pair of parallel sidewalls, and an open interior. A power source and a drivetrain assembly attach to the sidewalls of the tumbler and rotate the same. Within the tumbler is adapted to be placed rocks and minerals to be pulverized, wherein pulverizing media is placed in the tumbler with the rocks to break down the rocks into fine, granular material. One of the end walls of the tumbler is removable to allow access to the tumbler interior. One or more gaps or apertures through one or more of the end walls allow the pulverized material to exit the tumbler during operation, thereby reducing build-up of loose material that can dampen impacts within the tumbler.

A rock crushing assembly is provided in the form of a pulverizing tumbler. The apparatus includes a faceted tumbler having a plurality of faceted end walls, a pair of parallel sidewalls, and an open interior. A power source and a drivetrain assembly attach to the sidewalls of the tumbler and rotate the same. Within the tumbler is adapted to be placed rocks and minerals to be pulverized, wherein pulverizing media is placed in the tumbler with the rocks to break down the rocks into fine, granular material. One of the end walls of the tumbler is removable to allow access to the tumbler interior. One or more gaps or apertures through one or more of the end walls allow the pulverized material to exit the tumbler during operation, thereby reducing build-up of loose material that can dampen impacts within the tumbler.