Small particle compositions and associated methods

Abstract

Milling methods that use grinding media particles formed of a ceramic material having an interlamellar spacing of less than 1250 nm.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . Grinding media comprising:
 grinding media particles formed of a ceramic material, the ceramic material having an interlamellar spacing of less than 1250 nm.   
     
     
         2 . Grinding media comprising:
 grinding media particles comprising a core material and a coating formed on the core material, the coating including a plurality of layers, at least one of the layers having a thickness of less than 100 nanometers.   
     
     
         3 . The grinding media of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the layers has a thickness of less than 10 nanometers. 
     
     
         4 . The grinding media of  claim 2 , wherein multiple layers have a thickness of less than 10 nanometers. 
     
     
         5 . The grinding media of  claim 2 , wherein the coating includes at least 10 layers. 
     
     
         6 . The grinding media of  claim 2 , wherein a first layer comprises zirconium and a second layer, formed on the first layer, comprises aluminum. 
     
     
         7 . The grinding media of  claim 2 , wherein the particles have an average size of less than 150 micron. 
     
     
         8 . The grinding media of  claim 2 , wherein the core material has a density of greater than 5 grams/cubic centimeter. 
     
     
         9 . Grinding media comprising:
 grinding media particles formed of a nanocrystalline composite comprising a plurality of nanoparticles dispersed in a matrix material.   
     
     
         10 . The grinding media of  claim 9 , wherein the nanoparticles have an average particle size of less than 10 nanometers. 
     
     
         11 . The grinding media of  claim 12 , wherein the nanoparticles comprise a transition metal nitride. 
     
     
         12 . The grinding media of  claim 12 , wherein the matrix material comprises a nitride. 
     
     
         13 . A method comprising:
 milling inorganic feed particles using grinding media to produce an inorganic milled particle composition having an average particle size of less than 100 nm and a contamination level of less than 500 ppm, the feed particles having an average particle size of greater than 10 times the average particle size of the milled particle composition.