Mechanical Calving Of Nanoparticles

[plumber]

Metallic particles have been stripped from parent metals using electrolysis and chemical means. I would like feed back on a mechanical method I have witnessed. The method I believe is overly simple and inefficient. However it produced particles 5 nm and smaller. My question of feasibility is this: Does it seem physically possible to produce a uniform particle size using a well thought out and developed abrasive media that is inert and hard enough? I am having trouble articulating this question. the above method consisted of"rubbing" or vibrating two slabs of identical metals together over time, releasing elemental metal particles into solution with no ionic activity. The action was probably more like burnishing than abrasive. So naturally, my brain wants to go further. When I say abrasive media it is for lack of a better term. For sake of illustration, a slow moving rock tumbler and time. Do you think particle size could be controlled solely by the size and properties of the inert media...say talc fine material harder than the metal? Would the media need to be nano fine as the metal particles harvested? Or Would it be more a question of hardness and "sharpness" of the media? plumber