The breakage matrix approach to inadvertent particulate degradation: dealing with intra-mixture interactions

The description of particulate degradation using a matrix equation is a potentially useful tool in modelling degradation processes. One of the main constraints in adopting this approach is measuring the relevant breakage matrix, especially where degradation of particles in a given size class is influenced by the presence of particles in other size classes. This paper describes a technique for quantifying such intra-mixture interactions in degradation processes, hence calculating the full breakage matrix for interacting mixtures, for a relatively modest increase in necessary observational effort. The result indicates that the breakage matrix approach may be more useful and versatile than previously realised.