Effect of duration and type of grinding on the particle size distribution and microstructure of natural pumice with low pozzolanic reactivity

Abstract

Pumice, with low pozzolanic reactivity, was ground for 1, 3, and 6 h with a laboratory ball mill in dry conditions and it was ground for 1 h in wet conditions via an industrial-scale ball mill. Based on derivative particle dis-tribution, grinding for longer periods led to the disappearance of bimodal distribution and the development of unimodal distribution. Furthermore, the phase characterization, assessed through XRD, demonstrated appre-ciable changes in intensities of the peaks of quartz and dachiardite. The extension of grinding time resulted in a significant uptake at the early-age lime consumption and evolution of hydration heat. According to SEM images, the number of particles between 10 and 20 & mu;m was less in the powder ground for 3 and 6 h. Moreover, it was found that the prismatic shapes of raw pumice tended to transform to spheroid shapes after prolonged grinding, and the smooth surfaces of pumice particles became more rugged.