Implicit modelling of complex particulate structures: The effect of particle packing on agglomerate strength

Understanding the mechanical behaviors of agglomerate structures is significant in the powder industry for various applications. In this paper, we used a novel Implicit Modelling method to create complex agglomerate structures with controlled structural parameters. Our focus is on the effect of particle packing on the mechanical property of agglomerates by designing two sets of agglomerate structures: random and segregated ones based on primary particle sizes. We used 3D printing to manufacture the agglomerate structures into multiple copies. Through static compression and Finite Element Analysis (FEA), the random agglomerates exhibited overall higher mechanical strength than the segregated ones with the same porosity level. The experimental and numerical methods showed a consistent quantitative analysis of different mechanical property indicators of pre-designed agglomerate structures. Meanwhile, the relationship between different structural parameters and their respective mechanical properties were developed. The results help broaden our understanding of the complex influential factors governing agglomerate strength.