Optimizing reactivity of light-burned magnesia through mechanical milling

Mechanical milling is a classic and well-known technique for altering the morphology and microstructure and hence the physical and chemical properties of metallic and ceramic materials. Herein we demonstrate that by using zirconia jars and balls as the grinding media, an optimum milling duration can significantly enhance the reactivity of light-burned magnesia, one of the most widely used materials at the industrial scale. For the milling durations of 0-24 h, the samples milled for 8 h exhibit an improvement in reactivity by nearly twofold due to a decrease in the particle size from micron to submicron/nanometer range and a significant increase in the lattice distortion and surface area. Milling for more prolonged durations causes severe microstructural deterioration and hence a reduction in the reactivity of light-burned magnesia. Since the high reactivity of light-burned magnesia is the key parameter for its diverse industrial applications, enhancing its reactivity by nearly two times through a simple process like mechanical milling can have a profound improvement in the production efficiency of various commercial products.