The Breakage of Shape-Anisotropic Particles under Normal Contact with Different Particle Shape Parameters

This paper elaborates the cone–hemispherical gypsum particle breakages under normal contact with different particle shape parameters (contact diameter d, cone angle θ and sphere diameter D) and proposes a simple quantitative approach to discriminate breakage modes. The effects of the particle shape parameters on particle breakage are investigated through analyzing breakage processes, breakage modes and force–displacement curves. Three breakage modes are formed during the breakage experiments: peeling, peeling–splitting and splitting, corresponding to three different normal force–displacement curves. The formation of a conical core is deemed as the precondition for particle splitting. The particle breakage mode transfers from peeling to splitting with the increase in contact diameter d and cone angle θ, but a decrease in sphere diameter D. The critical normal force Fcr is positively linearly related to contact diameter d and cone angle θ, but the relationship between Fcr and sphere diameter D heavily depends on the breakage mode. Furthermore, the critical contact diameter dcr described by cone angle θ and sphere diameter D is proposed to discriminate breakage modes of the cone–hemispherical gypsum particles.