The question arises: ‘What sizes of powder can be made by atomisation?’
The answer is that for industrially applied atomisation methods for metallic
powders, median particle sizes from shot (>1 mm) down to 10 mm can be
made and some producers offer powders as fne as 2 mm, while not divulging
just how small a yield of this size range is produced prior to classifcation.
Median particle sizes below 10 mm are not difficult to make in lower surface
tension metals, like tin or lead. Sub-micron or nanopowders are not made
by atomisation (Fig. 1.2).