Abstract
Powder particle shape, which has been selected as the attribute for classifying copper powders of different origins by Fourier analysis, can be represented in terms of a large number of harmonic amplitudes and associated phase angles. Compared with conventional methods of powder classification where the particle shape is lost, this method can be used to regenerate the particle profile closely by successive addition of harmonics. Harmonic amplitudes for large numbers of particles from various copper powder batches are presented in the form of mean harmonic amplitude spectra and frequency distribution histograms to illustrate shape variations and the presence of morphological relationships between powder particles from particular batches. Similarities and differences between powder batches have been elucidated using χ2 tests, which compare two or more frequency histograms interval by interval. The effectiveness of Fourier analysis for morphological classification of these powders is clearly demonstrated. PM/0445
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