When using the planetary ball mill to grind samples, due to the high-energy collision and extrusion of the grinding balls, there are often sample residues that are difficult to remove on the wall of ball mill jar and the grinding balls. How to clean the ball mill well?

Methods to clean the jar and grinding balls of laboratory ball mill:

1. Clean with water

Water is a common liquid we usually use for cleaning. Before cleaning, soak the ball mill jar and grinding balls, and at the same time, add detergent and then clean with a brush.

2. Clean with corresponding solvent

For some sample residues, it is difficult to remove only with water. At this time, we can use the chemical properties of the residual materials, add the cleaning solvent that can dissolve them, and then soak them for cleaning. When using solvent, avoid chemical reaction between the added solvent and the material of ball mill and grinding balls.

3. Clean by no-load operation of vertical planetary ball mill

When the ball mill is running, the grinding balls in the ball mill jar will move at high speed, impacting and rubbing. Based on this principle, we can combine the above two methods, put the grinding balls to be cleaned and the cleaning solvent into the ball mill jar at the same time, and then turn on the machine to let the ball mill run without load for about half an hour to an hour. In this way, the residual samples on the ball mill jar and the grinding balls can be effectively removed, and rinse them with water.

4. Clean with a plasma or ultrasonic cleaner

This method belongs to mechanical vibration cleaning, which can destroy the adsorption of residual samples and the surface of the parts to be cleaned, so as to achieve the  cleaning effect. This method is more suitable for some grease or viscous samples.