Trituration

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Trituration is the name of several different methods of processing materials.

For example, trituration is a process in organic chemistry used to purify crude compounds containing solid impurities. A solvent is chosen in which the desired product is insoluble and the undesired by-products are very soluble. The crude material is washed with the solvent and filtered away, leaving the purified product in solid form and any impurities in solution.

Trituration is also the name of the process for reducing the particle size of a substance by grinding. As an example, trituration can refer to the grinding of powders in a mortar with a pestle.

Trituration is also the production of a homogeneous material through mixing. For example, dental amalgam is formed by combining particles of an alloy with mercury.