Internal cohesion of agglomerates I. An elementary approach for assembliesof weakly agglomerated 2d-clusters

The average internal cohesion function of two-dimensional (2d)-agglomerates formed by assemblage of fractal aggregates of masses i and j (the aggregat es being previously obtained using the algorithms of the diffusion-limited aggregation processes) was determined on the basis of the frequency functio n P(v, i, j) of the number v of interaggregate connections forming the link . The agglomerate fragmentation threshold was set by choosing the number m of connections which may be broken. The amount of agglomerate sustaining br eak-up was found to be independent of the mass (i + j) of the final agglome rate and expressed by a Johnson-Mehl equation of the variable rn. The poros ity of platelets formed by the agglomeration of a great number of fractal a ggregates was found to increase as a power law of the aggregate mass and th is might explain the lower bending or flexural strength of platelets of lar ge aggregates. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.