Introduction

Many everyday products are manufactured using particulate materials whose behavior and performances depend upon starting particle chemical and structural characteristics. Since particle characteristics affect the properties of a material, particle selection is normally needed across a range of industries and laboratories. Separation techniques play therefore a prominent role in selecting components to characterize them and for finding their possible useful applications. This book presents an overview of some common separation techniques used to select and isolate particulate materials in liquid suspension, for a size chracterization or to prepare homogenous samples for a more detailed and complete physico-chemical characterization. The goal is to provide the Reader with the basic elements of these techniques for their conscious selection.