The Mill Base (1L capacity): This indicates the size class of the planetary ball mill machine itself. A "1L" designation typically means the machine is designed to accommodate one or more grinding jars whose total volume adds up to approximately 1 liter. For example, it could hold four 250ml jars or, as in this case, it is perfectly compatible with smaller jars like a 100ml tank.

The Grinding Assembly (100ml Zirconia Tank): This is the actual jar and ball set used for the grinding process, made from Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia (YSZ).

This combination is ideal for achieving nano-scale fineness with small, high-value samples.

Platform Versatility: The 1L mill is a robust benchtop unit that provides a stable and powerful drive for the planetary movement. Its key advantage is flexibility; while it can handle larger batches with bigger jars, it excels at running smaller jars (like the 100ml tank) with high efficiency.

High-Energy Input: It generates significant centrifugal force through the opposing rotations of the planetary disk and the jars, which is essential for breaking particles down to the nanoscale.

Precise Control: Features digital controls for setting rotation speed (RPM) and grinding time with high accuracy, ensuring reproducible results across experiments.

The choice of the 100ml Zirconia assembly is critical for nano-scale applications.

• Extreme Hardness & Wear Resistance: Zirconia is one of the hardest materials used for milling jars. It minimizes wear and contamination, which is absolutely vital for nano-grinding where even tiny amounts of abraded material can skew results.
• High Density: The high density of zirconia grinding balls translates to greater impact energy during milling, leading to more effective pulverization.
• Chemical Inertness: Zirconia is chemically inert against most materials, ensuring the sample purity is maintained. It is ideal for grinding corrosive or sensitive materials.

• Ideal for R&D Quantities: This volume is perfect for processing small, precious samples (e.g., 1/3 to 1/2 of the jar's volume, so approx. 10-30 grams of sample plus grinding media). This minimizes waste and allows researchers to work with expensive or limited-quantity materials.
• Efficient Energy Use: A smaller jar on a powerful 1L base ensures that the energy from the planetary motion is effectively transferred to the small sample mass, preventing the sample from being "cushioned" and resulting in faster, more efficient grinding.

To achieve nano-scale particles, the process is typically as follows:

1. Loading: The sample material is placed into the 100ml zirconia jar. Zirconia grinding balls of an appropriate size (e.g., 0.5mm to 3mm for nano-grinding) are added. The jar should not be filled more than half full (including balls and sample) to allow for proper movement.
2. Wet Grinding (Recommended for Nano-Scale): A liquid grinding aid or solvent (e.g., water, ethanol, hexane) is added to cover the sample and balls. This is crucial for nano-grinding as it:
   • Prevents agglomeration of fine particles.
   • Cools the sample, reducing heat-induced degradation.
   • Aids in creating a stable nano-suspension.
3. Parameter Setting: The jar is securely fastened onto the mill. The speed (often 300-600 RPM) and time (from minutes to several hours) are set based on the material's hardness and desired fineness.
4. Milling: The planetary motion begins, causing the zirconia balls to impact and frictionally grind the sample against the jar walls.
5. Result Extraction: After milling, the resulting nano-powder or suspension is carefully collected from the zirconia jar.

• Optimal for Nano-Preparation: The high-energy 1L mill paired with the contamination-free zirconia tank is a proven setup for achieving particles < 100 nm.
• Minimal Contamination: Zirconia ensures the sample remains pure, which is critical for analytical techniques like XRD, XRF, and ICP-MS.
• Small Sample Processing: Perfect for R&D where material is scarce or expensive.
• Scalability: The 1L platform allows for easy scale-up. Parameters optimized in the 100ml jar can often be translated to larger jars for larger batch production.

This system is indispensable in fields requiring the highest level of sample fineness and purity:

• Advanced Materials Science: Preparation of nano-ceramics, composite powders, and graphene.
• Pharmaceutical Research: Nano-sizing of active ingredients to enhance bioavailability.
• Battery Research: Homogenization and nano-grinding of cathode/anode materials (e.g., LFP, NMC).
• Electronics: Preparation of fine electronic pastes and ceramic powders.
• Geology: Ultrafine pulverization of geological samples for trace element analysis.