Particle-wall and particle-particle contact interactions occur in many different processes of particle technology, like fluidized bed, filtration, milling and hydraulic and pneumatic conveying. During the contact, many different micromechanical processes, such as adhesion, elastic and plastic deformation, friction, sticking, attrition and breakage can occur and influence macroscopical behavior of particulate system in the process. Our research group Particle Micromechanics focuses on the experimental estimation and modeling of the micromechanical properties of particles and agglomerates.
The contact behavior of particles is investigated experimentally with compression tests, nanoindentation, tribological measurements and collision tests. On the basis of measured behavior the contact models are developed. The obtained properties are used as parameters of contact models in the discrete element method. Within the collaborative research center 926 (MICOS, subproject A08), the dynamic particle-wall interactions are investigated depending on the surface morphology and liquid layers with single particle collision tests. The influence of vibration on the flow behavior of granular pastes, such as gypsum and fresh concrete, is investigated experimentally and numerically in cooperation with our partners at the University of Nancy (France). The obtained results can be used for the optimization of the transport behavior of the pastes.