Hollow glass microspheres, also known as hollow glass beads, have been in use for at least 100 years. Hollow glass microsphere technology was developed in the 1950s as a product of manufacturing solid glass beads. Since that time, many industries have come to rely on both solid and hollow glass microspheres as a major component of their products and processes.
Initially used primarily as a filler for plastics in the 1960s, it was used in many industries and thousands of applications, including aerospace and military materials, molded plastic parts, reflective highway signs, oil and gas, recreation, paints and coatings, transportation, construction, mining explosives, personal care, cosmetics and consumer products.
In recent years, hollow glass microspheres have experienced outstanding growth due to the emergence of new high-value, high-growth industries and the market for high-quality hollow glass microspheres with perfect sphericity, tight tolerances and particle size distribution. These industries include biomedical, life sciences, microscopy, automotive, high-tech devices and specialty applications.
