Computational approach to increasing the packing fraction of amorphous powders

The powder packing behaviour of Fe-based amorphous powders was experimentally monitored and compared with values predicted using the Desmond model and a simulation based on the discrete element method. Powders with different sizes were mixed in various ratios to produce a tri-modal distribution. The simulation results revealed the cohesive force of the powder in terms of the angle of repose and were in agreement with the experimental results. However, the packing behaviour derived from the theoretical model deviated from the experimental results because the interaction among the powder was not considered in the former. Furthermore, the packing fractions for different mixing ratios were investigated through an artificial intelligence framework to determine the optimal mixing ratio. This ratio was validated experimentally and determined to be approximately 8.97% higher than that for the monodisperse large powder case.