High Shear Mixers
High shear mixers are high-speed machines that offer homogenization, emulsification, disintegration, particle size reduction and dispersion to many different solid and liquid materials. Because of high powered mixing blades, called shears, the mixing time is much shorter than other standard mixers. First available only in the rubber industry, high shear mixers are now used widely within the food, cosmetics, chemical, lube oil, pharmaceutical, adhesive and plastics industries. Mixtures of solids and liquids that usually are unable to mix, like powder and water or oil and water, are emulsed, meaning the two un-blendable materials mix. Creams, waxes, polishing agents, gelling agents, dyes and polymer emulsions are easily created with the use of a high shear mixer.
During the emulsion process, the high shear mixer is immersed in the two materials. The high speed rotation of the blades creates suction that draws the solid and liquid portions of the mix into the work head, where the blades are. Centrifugal force drives the materials out the work head and through the blades, where they are finely milled and evenly dispursed. This process is done in circulation until all of the solid material has been sheared and mixed evenly with the liquid, which creates a substance with a totally new viscosity. Unlike other mixers, there is little or no turbulence or splashing at the top. High shear mixers often have changeable work heads that offer different types of mixing.