Mixing Mechanics: Mixing cohesive powders
This column discusses how to get a cohesive ingredient properly mixed into the final blend.
Many mixed products contain cohesive ingredients. These ingredients are in the mixture because they provide some benefit to the finished product. Yet, trying to get a cohesive ingredient properly mixed into the final blend presents significant challenges. Cohesive powders contain “self-loving” particles: They tend to stick together in clumps and don’t disperse readily with other particles. Breaking up these cohesive clumps and getting the particles to mix intimately with other particles requires high mixing energy and shear.