Glass bubble,Hollow glass microspheres , Glass sphere beads, Manufacturer & suppliers

Optically active hollow glass microspheres are specialized materials designed to interact with light in unique ways, often used in advanced optical and photonic applications. These microspheres consist of a glass shell with an air-filled or vacuum core, and their optical activity arises from their structural design, composition, or surface modification. Here are the key features and potential applications of optically active hollow glass microspheres:

Key Characteristics:

1. Hollow Structure:
   • The air or vacuum core reduces the overall density of the microspheres, making them lightweight.
   • This hollow nature can enhance light scattering, reflection, and transmission properties.
2. Optical Activity:
   • Chirality: Some hollow glass microspheres are engineered to exhibit optical chirality, meaning they can rotate the plane of polarized light. This property is particularly important in photonic applications.
   • Refractive Index Control: By adjusting the composition of the glass and the size of the hollow core, the refractive index of these microspheres can be tuned, allowing precise control of light propagation.
   • Fluorescent Doping: Hollow glass microspheres can be doped with optically active materials such as rare earth elements (e.g., europium, terbium) or quantum dots to create fluorescent or phosphorescent microspheres.
3. Surface Modification:
   • The surface of hollow glass microspheres can be coated or functionalized with materials like metallic films (e.g., gold or silver) or dielectric layers to enhance their interaction with electromagnetic waves, including light.
   • Surface coatings can also improve light absorption or enhance plasmonic effects, making the microspheres useful in sensors or photonic devices.

Applications:

1. Optical Sensing:
   • Optically active hollow glass microspheres are used in sensors that detect changes in light intensity, polarization, or wavelength. These sensors can measure temperature, pressure, or chemical composition in a non-invasive manner.
   • In biomedical sensing, they can detect specific molecules or biological markers due to their surface modifications and fluorescence properties.
2. Photonic and Telecommunication Devices:
   • These microspheres are used in optical fibers, waveguides, and other photonic devices where precise light manipulation is required. They can enhance signal transmission or serve as resonators in optical circuits.
   • In telecommunications, hollow glass microspheres can help in improving the efficiency of light-based data transmission.
3. Lightweight Composite Materials:
   • Due to their low density and unique optical properties, these microspheres can be incorporated into lightweight composite materials used in aerospace, defense, or automotive industries where both mechanical strength and optical functionality are required.
4. Laser Targeting and LIDAR:
   • Their reflective and light-scattering properties make optically active hollow glass microspheres suitable for laser targeting, optical calibration, and LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) applications.
5. Medical Imaging and Drug Delivery:
   • In medical imaging, hollow glass microspheres can enhance contrast in optical imaging techniques like optical coherence tomography (OCT) or fluorescence imaging.
   • Doped or surface-modified microspheres can also serve as carriers for targeted drug delivery, where their optical properties are used to track or trigger the release of therapeutic agents.
6. Microwave Absorption and Shielding:
   • Optically active microspheres with surface coatings can interact with electromagnetic waves, providing microwave absorption or shielding capabilities. This can be particularly useful in stealth technology or electronic device protection.

Research Directions:

• Advanced Functionalization: Further research focuses on developing novel coatings or doping materials to enhance the optical properties of hollow glass microspheres, such as introducing tunable photonic bandgaps or enhancing nonlinear optical effects.
• Integration with Nanotechnology: Exploring how nanomaterials, such as graphene or carbon nanotubes, can be integrated into the structure of hollow glass microspheres to improve their optical, mechanical, and thermal performance.
• Biomedical Innovations: Ongoing research seeks to improve the biocompatibility of these microspheres for medical imaging and therapeutic applications, such as targeted cancer treatments or advanced imaging techniques.

Optically active hollow glass microspheres hold great potential across industries due to their lightweight structure, optical tunability, and adaptability for various advanced technological applications.

Hollow glass microspheres combined with phosphate adhesive form a composite material with unique properties that are beneficial for various industrial and structural applications. Here’s an overview of the key aspects, applications, and benefits of this combination:

Overview of Hollow Glass Microspheres:

Hollow glass microspheres, also known as glass bubbles, are lightweight, spherical particles with thin glass walls and a hollow interior. They are typically made from soda-lime-borosilicate glass and vary in size and wall thickness. These microspheres are known for their low density, high compressive strength, and thermal insulation properties.

Phosphate Adhesive:

Phosphate adhesives are inorganic adhesives made from phosphoric acid and metal oxides, such as aluminum or zinc oxide. These adhesives are known for their high-temperature resistance, strong bonding capabilities, and excellent chemical and thermal stability.

Combining Hollow Glass Microspheres with Phosphate Adhesive:

When hollow glass microspheres are mixed with phosphate adhesive, the resulting composite material combines the best properties of both components:

• Lightweight: The low density of the hollow glass microspheres significantly reduces the overall weight of the composite, making it ideal for applications where weight savings are crucial.
• Thermal Insulation: The air-filled hollow glass microspheres provide excellent thermal insulation, making the composite suitable for use in environments with high or fluctuating temperatures.
• High-Temperature Resistance: The phosphate adhesive provides the composite with the ability to withstand high temperatures, often up to 1,000°C or higher, depending on the specific formulation.
• Mechanical Strength: Despite being lightweight, the composite retains good compressive strength due to the inherent properties of the glass microspheres and the strong bonding provided by the phosphate adhesive.
• Chemical Resistance: Phosphate adhesives offer excellent resistance to chemicals and corrosion, enhancing the durability of the composite in harsh environments.
• Dimensional Stability: The composite is dimensionally stable under high temperatures and thermal cycling, which is essential for maintaining performance over time.

Applications:

1. Thermal Protection Systems:
   • Used in aerospace and defense industries for thermal protection systems (TPS) on spacecraft and missiles, where both high-temperature resistance and low weight are critical.
2. Lightweight Structural Components:
   • Ideal for automotive and aerospace components that require high strength-to-weight ratios, such as panels, insulation layers, and structural reinforcements.
3. Fire-Resistant Coatings:
   • Applied as a fire-resistant coating in buildings, industrial facilities, and equipment to prevent heat transfer and protect underlying materials.
4. Insulating Materials:
   • Used in the production of insulation materials for high-temperature furnaces, kilns, and other industrial equipment that operates under extreme heat conditions.
5. Oil and Gas Industry:
   • Employed in downhole applications, such as cementing operations, where thermal insulation and chemical resistance are needed to protect wells from high temperatures and corrosive fluids.
6. Electronics:
   • The composite is used in electronic devices and components that require thermal management and insulation, such as circuit boards and thermal interface materials.

Benefits:

• Cost-Effective: The combination of hollow glass microspheres with phosphate adhesive offers a cost-effective solution for creating high-performance, lightweight composites without the need for expensive or rare materials.
• Versatility: The composite can be tailored to specific applications by adjusting the ratio of microspheres to adhesive, allowing for customization of properties such as density, strength, and thermal resistance.
• Environmental Resistance: The composite is resistant to environmental factors such as moisture, UV radiation, and temperature extremes, making it suitable for outdoor and demanding applications.

Challenges:

• Processing and Handling: The lightweight and fragile nature of hollow glass microspheres can make them challenging to handle and mix with adhesives. Careful processing is required to ensure uniform distribution and avoid damage to the microspheres.
• Adhesive Curing: Phosphate adhesives typically require curing at elevated temperatures, which may limit their use in applications where such conditions are not feasible or desirable.

Hollow glass microspheres combined with phosphate adhesive create a composite material that is lightweight, strong, and resistant to high temperatures and chemicals. This combination is particularly useful in industries where weight savings, thermal insulation, and durability are critical, such as aerospace, automotive, and industrial manufacturing. As technology advances, this composite is likely to find even more applications across a broader range of fields.

Hollow glass microspheres, also known as glass bubbles, are widely used in thermoset composites due to their unique properties. Here are some key aspects of using hollow glass microspheres in thermosets:

Properties and Benefits:

1. Lightweight: Glass bubbles significantly reduce the density of thermoset composites, making them ideal for applications where weight reduction is crucial.
2. High Strength-to-Weight Ratio: Despite their low density, these microspheres maintain good strength, enhancing the overall mechanical properties of the composite.
3. Thermal Insulation: The hollow nature of glass bubbles provides excellent thermal insulation properties.
4. Dimensional Stability: Incorporating glass bubbles can improve the dimensional stability of thermoset composites, reducing shrinkage and warping during curing.
5. Improved Flow and Processability: Glass bubbles can enhance the flow characteristics of thermoset resins, making them easier to mold and process.

Applications:

1. Automotive and Aerospace: Lightweight composites for structural and non-structural components to improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions.
2. Marine: Buoyant materials for flotation devices, hulls, and other marine applications.
3. Construction: Lightweight and insulating materials for panels, roofing, and other building components.
4. Electronics: Encapsulation materials for electronic components that require thermal stability and insulation.

Challenges:

1. Dispersion: Achieving a uniform dispersion of glass bubbles in the thermoset matrix can be challenging but is crucial for consistent properties.
2. Surface Treatment: Proper surface treatment of glass bubbles may be necessary to enhance compatibility and adhesion with the thermoset resin.
3. Handling: Due to their fragility, care must be taken during mixing and processing to avoid breaking the glass bubbles, which can negatively affect the composite properties.

Examples of Thermoset Resins:

• Epoxy Resins: Commonly used for high-strength applications due to their excellent adhesion, mechanical properties, and chemical resistance.
• Polyester Resins: Used in a variety of applications, including marine and automotive, for their good mechanical properties and cost-effectiveness.
• Vinyl Ester Resins: Known for their superior chemical resistance and durability, making them suitable for harsh environments.

Incorporating hollow glass microspheres into thermoset composites can lead to innovative solutions across various industries, providing a balance of lightweight, strength, and thermal properties.

Hollow glass microspheres (HGMs) are lightweight, high-strength materials widely used for their buoyancy properties in various applications. When selecting HGMs for high-temperature applications, several factors need to be considered, including thermal stability, strength, and chemical resistance. Here’s a detailed overview of using hollow glass microspheres as buoyancy material for high-temperature applications:

Properties of Hollow Glass Microspheres

1. Lightweight:
   • The hollow structure of these microspheres makes them extremely lightweight, which is ideal for buoyancy applications.
2. High Strength:
   • Despite their lightweight nature, HGMs have high compressive strength, making them durable under pressure.
3. Thermal Stability:
   • Certain types of HGMs can withstand high temperatures without degrading, which is crucial for high-temperature applications.
4. Low Thermal Conductivity:
   • HGMs offer good thermal insulation properties due to their low thermal conductivity.
5. Chemical Resistance:
   • These microspheres are resistant to most chemicals, making them suitable for harsh environments.

Types of Hollow Glass Microspheres for High-Temperature Applications

1. Standard Hollow Glass Microspheres:
   • Typically used for applications with moderate temperature requirements.
   • Thermal stability generally up to around 600°C.
2. High-Temperature Hollow Glass Microspheres:
   • Specifically designed to withstand higher temperatures.
   • Can endure temperatures up to 1000°C or more, depending on the composition and manufacturing process.

Applications of High-Temperature Hollow Glass Microspheres

1. Buoyancy Materials:
   • Used in applications such as deep-sea exploration, where high temperature and pressure resistance are required.
   • Also used in drilling fluids for oil and gas exploration to reduce density and improve thermal insulation.
2. Thermal Insulation:
   • Incorporated into coatings, sealants, and composites to provide thermal insulation in high-temperature environments like furnaces, kilns, and engines.
3. Lightweight Composites:
   • Used in aerospace and automotive industries to create lightweight, high-strength composites that can withstand high temperatures.
4. Ceramic and Glass Manufacturing:
   • Added to ceramic and glass formulations to improve thermal shock resistance and reduce density.

Benefits of Using Hollow Glass Microspheres in High-Temperature Applications

1. Enhanced Buoyancy:
   • The lightweight nature of HGMs significantly enhances buoyancy, which is beneficial for various marine and aerospace applications.
2. Thermal Insulation:
   • Provides excellent thermal insulation, protecting components from high-temperature damage.
3. Reduced Weight:
   • Incorporating HGMs reduces the overall weight of composites, leading to improved efficiency and performance in applications where weight is a critical factor.
4. Improved Mechanical Properties:
   • Enhances the mechanical properties of the base material, such as improved compressive strength and impact resistance.

Selection Criteria for High-Temperature Applications

1. Temperature Range:
   • Ensure that the selected HGMs can withstand the specific temperature requirements of your application.
2. Compressive Strength:
   • Choose microspheres with adequate compressive strength to handle the pressure conditions they will be exposed to.
3. Chemical Compatibility:
   • Verify that the HGMs are chemically compatible with other materials they will be used with to prevent degradation or reaction.
4. Density:
   • Select microspheres with the appropriate density to achieve the desired buoyancy effect.

Hollow glass microspheres are excellent materials for buoyancy applications in high-temperature environments due to their lightweight, high strength, and thermal stability. When selecting HGMs for such applications, it is crucial to consider the specific temperature range, compressive strength, and chemical compatibility to ensure optimal performance. By carefully choosing the right type of hollow glass microspheres, you can achieve significant improvements in buoyancy, thermal insulation, and overall material performance in high-temperature applications.

Hollow glass microspheres (HGMs) are often used as additives in various materials, including polymers, coatings, and composites, to enhance their properties. While HGMs are primarily known for their low density and thermal insulation capabilities, they can also contribute to the flame retardancy of materials when used appropriately.

The flame retardancy of HGMs can be attributed to several factors:

1. Thermal Insulation: Hollow glass microspheres are excellent thermal insulators due to the low thermal conductivity of air inside the hollow cavities. When incorporated into materials, they can help reduce heat transfer during a fire, slowing down the temperature rise and flame spread.
2. Dilution Effect: By adding HGMs to a material, you effectively dilute the fuel source. This reduces the overall combustible content in the material, making it less prone to ignition and combustion.
3. Barrier Effect: The closed, impermeable structure of HGMs can act as a physical barrier, hindering the penetration of heat and gases into the material during a fire. This can delay the ignition and combustion process.
4. Char Formation: When exposed to high temperatures, HGMs can undergo structural changes and assist in forming a protective char layer on the material’s surface. This char layer acts as a barrier, preventing further heat and oxygen from reaching the underlying material, thus reducing the spread of flames.
5. Endothermic Reactions: Some types of HGMs can undergo endothermic reactions when exposed to high temperatures, absorbing heat energy and slowing down the combustion process.

It’s important to note that the flame-retardant effectiveness of HGMs can vary depending on factors such as the type and size of HGMs, their dispersion in the material, and the specific material they are added to. Additionally, the overall flame retardancy of a material often relies on a combination of strategies, including the use of fire-retardant additives, intumescent coatings, and other flame-retardant mechanisms.

When incorporating HGMs into flame-retardant materials, it is essential to conduct thorough testing and evaluations to ensure that the desired level of flame resistance is achieved. Additionally, standards and regulations specific to the industry or application should be followed to meet safety and fire-resistant requirements.

Hollow glass microspheres have a series of advantages such as lightweight, high-strength, thermal insulation, sound insulation, flame retardancy, insulation, and stable physical and chemical properties, making them an excellent filler for thermal insulation coatings. The use of hollow glass microspheres as thermal insulation coatings has become increasingly widely used in fields such as good workability and excellent thermal insulation properties.
Advantages of hollow glass microspheres:
1. Excellent insulation and noise reduction performance. Hollow glass microspheres can form dense, uniform, and mutually independent cavities in the coating, providing good insulation and noise reduction effects.
2. Efficient filling performance. Hollow glass microspheres can effectively increase the volume concentration of pigments and fillers, and add 5wt.% Hollow glass microspheres can increase the volume of the finished product by 25% to 35%, thereby not increasing or even reducing the unit volume cost of the coating.
3. Significant weight reduction performance. The true density of hollow glass microspheres is nearly one tenth of that of ordinary paint fillers, so adding a small amount of hollow glass microspheres can significantly reduce the weight of the dry coating.
4. Excellent temperature resistance. Hollow glass microspheres themselves are non combustible and do not support combustion, and their melting point is above 600 ℃, which can greatly improve the temperature resistance of the coating and make it have a good fireproof effect.
5. Excellent construction performance. The regular spherical structure of hollow glass microspheres can pray for the effect of ball bearings during coating construction, increase the flow and application performance of the coating, and effectively improve the coating’s construction performance.
6. Green and environmentally friendly. Hollow glass microspheres can be used in all water-based resin systems and significantly reduce the amount of various coating additives, effectively reducing the VOC content of coatings.

Hollow glass microspheres are glass microspheres with low density, light texture, and high strength. Due to its hollow nature, compared to traditional glass microspheres, it has the characteristics of light weight, low density, and good insulation properties, making it the primary raw material for thermal insulation coatings. Due to its small particle size, which is equivalent to or approximately exceeds the fineness of traditional filler materials used in coatings, it is possible to directly add filler materials into the coating system, so that the coating produced by coating solidification has thermal insulation properties. Usage characteristics; Efficient filling, low oil absorption, low density, and the addition of 5% (wt) can increase the product by 25% to 35%, thereby not increasing or even reducing the unit volume cost of the coating. Hollow glass microsphere particles are enclosed hollow spheres that are added to the coating to create many micro independent insulation chambers, thereby significantly improving the insulation performance of the coating to heat and sound, playing a very good role in insulation and noise reduction. Make the coating have better waterproof, stain resistant, and corrosion resistant properties. The chemically inert surface of the microspheres is resistant to chemical corrosion. When used as a film, the particles of the glass microspheres are arranged in a compact order, resulting in low porosity, which creates a protective film on the coating surface that has a blocking effect on moisture and corrosive ions, playing a very good protective effect.
The spherical structure of hollow glass microspheres has a very good dispersion effect on impact resistance and stress, and when added to coatings, it can greatly improve the resistance to external force impact characteristics of coatings, and also reduce the stress cracking caused by thermal expansion and contraction of coatings. Better whitening and covering effects. White powder has a better whitening effect than regular pigments, effectively reducing the use of other expensive fillers and pigments (compared to titanium dioxide, the volume cost of microspheres is only 1/5 of that), and reasonably strengthening the adhesion of the coating. The low oil absorption characteristics of glass microspheres enable more resin to participate in film formation, thereby increasing the adhesion of the coating by 3-4 times. Adding 5% micro beads can increase the coating density from 1.30 to within 1.0, significantly reducing the coating weight and preventing wall coating peeling.
Jinan Hongtu New Materials Co., Ltd., a liquid flame retardant manufacturer, was founded in 2020. It mainly produces, develops, and sells halogen-free flame retardants, liquid halogen-free flame retardants, brominated environmentally friendly flame retardants, environmentally friendly flame retardant masterbatches, PP transparent nucleating agents, lubricants, and other plastic and coating additives; And plasticizing enterprises for plastic peripheral products. Plastic and coating additives include: PP nucleating agent series – PP transparency enhancing and PP rigidity enhancing nucleating agents and nucleating agent masterbatches; PVC plastic additive -1. PVC liquid/powder flame retardant 2. PVC bright lubricant 3. PVC modifier 4. PVC transparent heat stabilizer 4. Coating additive – BYK leveling agent; BYK defoamer; BYK dispersant and coating conductive agent, drying agent; Draping agents, tactile agents, etc.

1、 The definition of hollow glass microbeads is a small sphere made of glass, which is hollow inside, smooth outside, and coated with a thin film on the surface. The diameter of these microspheres is generally between 10 microns and 250 microns, and their density can be controlled by controlling the thickness of the glass wall.
2、 The manufacturing process of hollow glass microspheres is generally divided into three steps. The first stage is the preparation of glass particles. The glass components are mixed and dried by spray or melted into small particles at high temperature. Next is the preparation stage of hollow glass microspheres, where the particles melt into spheres at high temperatures and form a thin film on the surface of the spheres. Finally, there is the treatment and screening stage, where qualified hollow glass microspheres are separated through special treatment and screening.
3、 The physical characteristics of hollow glass microspheres include low density, high strength, good flowability, insulation, and difficulty in absorbing water. Its density is generally 0.15g/cm ³ To 0.60g/cm ³ It has good compressive strength and wear resistance.
4、 The chemical properties of hollow glass microspheres are mainly composed of silicates, which have excellent chemical stability and acid resistance. Under some special conditions, hollow glass microspheres can also undergo chemical reactions with other chemicals.
5、 The application of hollow glass microspheres has a wide range of applications in various industries. In the construction industry, hollow glass microspheres are mainly used to improve soil properties, insulation, and reduce asphalt density; In materials industries such as coatings, paints, and plastics, it can be used to enhance product quality, reduce costs, and production costs; In industries such as healthcare and food processing, the application of hollow glass microspheres continues to expand with the development of technology.
6、 Conclusion: Hollow glass microspheres are low-density and high-strength micro spheres with excellent physical and chemical properties, and have a wide range of applications. They are an important engineering material.

Hollow glass microspheres are used for filling ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene materials, serving as a solid lubricant to improve processing flowability and modifying the comprehensive mechanical properties of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene materials to improve their strength and wear resistance.
The tensile strength, impact strength, hardness and other mechanical properties of nylon 6 with hollow glass microspheres have been improved, and can prevent material aging caused by light and heat. As the content of glass microspheres increases, the Martin heat resistance temperature of the material increases. Used for producing bearings, cameras, furniture accessories, etc;
Filling hard PVC with hollow glass microspheres to produce profiles, pipes, and plates can provide good dimensional stability, improve rigidity and heat resistance, and improve production efficiency;
Filling with ABS can improve the stability of material size, reduce shrinkage, increase compressive strength and flexural modulus, and improve surface paint performance. It can be widely used in the production of television casings, automotive plastic parts, audio equipment, and household appliances;
⊙ Filled with epoxy resin, it can reduce material viscosity, improve physical and mechanical properties, and can be used to produce composite foam plastics, deep-sea submarines, lifeboats, etc;
Filling with unsaturated polyester can reduce material shrinkage and water absorption, improve wear resistance, and reduce voids during lamination and coating. It can be used to produce fiberglass products, polishing wheels, tools, etc;
Glass bead rubber is a good high-pressure, broadband sound-absorbing material, and the target body composed of it has many practical advantages: it is easy to make zero buoyancy targets, so it is suitable for making drag targets; Good softness can make the target easy to fold and unfold.
Application of Hollow Glass Microspheres in Atomic Ash (Putty)
The advantages of a new type of atomic ash made of hollow glass microspheres compared to ordinary atomic ash are:
Easy to prepare and produce, hollow glass microspheres can be well mixed using a simple low-speed mixer, resulting in light weight and large relative volume of the finished product.
Compared with ordinary atomic ash, the new type of atomic ash can replace 10-20% of talc powder, calcium carbonate, and bentonite with 5% hollow glass microspheres. Its volume also increases by 15-25% compared to ordinary atomic ash, saving about 8% of resin.
The oil absorption rate of hollow glass microspheres is much smaller than that of ordinary fillers such as talc powder, which can significantly reduce viscosity.
Atomic ash produced using hollow glass microspheres is easy to polish; Save time, effort, and dust.
The application of hollow glass microspheres in artificial marble products Adding hollow glass microspheres can reduce the weight of the product, have a smooth and beautiful appearance, and reduce costs.

1. Improve resistance to heat
2. Weight reduction of 20% -35%
3. Easier machining performance (drilling, sawing, polishing)
4. Easy to polish, high surface gloss, reducing tool wear
5. Reduce packaging and transportation costs
6. Improve production efficiency through faster mold flipping
7. Anti shrinkage and anti warping, improving anti cracking ability, and reducing product damage rate.
8. Reduce the amount of catalyst used

1. Repair composite materials (resin putty)
The typical application of composite materials for repair is to add hollow glass microspheres into the resin to replace some fillers such as calcium carbonate and talc powder to make various types of putty. It has the advantages of light weight, strong adhesion, easy foaming, low shrinkage, and particularly significantly improved processing performance such as sanding and polishing. For hollow microspheres, dust is a problem. Interestingly, during post-processing, such as polishing, the damage to the hollow microspheres results in dust with the same density as glass, so that it does not float in the air and easily land on the ground. This will greatly reduce the disadvantage of high dust content in the air. This type of putty is widely used in repair operations of fiberglass products, automobiles, ships, machine tools, etc. It should be noted that the diameter of hollow glass microspheres should not be too large to prevent excessive pinholes after polishing, and a more ideal grading should be selected.
2. Synthetic foam plastic block and light core material
As early as 1971, there was a research paper at the SPI annual meeting, which introduced that high quality foam was obtained by adding insulating glass beads to epoxy resin, and the density was reduced by 20%~30%. When the foam density is 0.66g/cm3, the static pressure strength is 1136kg/cm2. When manufacturing lightweight GRP core materials, it is precisely the use of hollow glass microspheres that solves the technical problem. Compared with conventional fiberglass, the use of this core material greatly improves the stiffness of the product and reduces weight. The thickness of the core material is selected based on the stiffness. The density of the core material is 0.57g/cm3~0.67g/cm3, and the compressive strength is 284kg/cm2~426kg/cm2. Widely used in various industrial products, such as sandwich composite panels for vehicles, ships, buildings, sports equipment, models, deep water floats, etc.
3. Polyester furniture
Polyester furniture is another application field of hollow glass microspheres, mainly aimed at reducing their density. For example, it can achieve a density of 0.9g/cm3 for mixtures, 1.09g/cm3 for perlite and 1.46g/cm3 for calcium carbonate. At the same time, it also improves processing performance such as sanding and polishing, saving around 50% of working hours. As the proportion of hollow glass microspheres increases, their stiffness also significantly increases.
4. FRP spraying process
The resin system containing hollow glass microspheres can be sprayed using airless spraying equipment, and in addition, glass fiber short cut felt, cloth, and other fabrics can be used to manufacture laminated boards for ships. Choose the corresponding type of hollow glass microspheres according to the different pressures in the system. A typical formula is that the volume content of hollow glass microspheres is 22%, and the corresponding weight content is about 5%. Mixing equipment with lower shear force can effectively disperse it into the resin.

5. SMC and BMC products
Adding hollow glass microspheres to SMC and BMC can reduce the weight of their final molded products by 25% to 35%. The density has decreased from 1.7g/cm3 to 1.9g/cm3 to 1.2g/cm3 to 1.4g/cm3, and the dielectric properties have also been greatly improved. Choosing the appropriate formula can produce insulation panels that meet specific requirements. A typical application example is the ability to manufacture lightweight automotive and building components.
6. Glass fiber winding and extrusion process
The application of hollow glass microspheres in fiber winding and pultrusion processes can reduce costs, reduce the density of composite materials, and improve the impact strength and mechanical processing performance of composite materials. The use of hollow glass microspheres in the pultrusion process can reduce the amount of resin and fiberglass used. Adding 8% hollow glass microspheres can reduce the amount of glass fiber used by more than 15%. In addition to reducing weight, it can also improve the physical, dielectric, and insulation properties of the product. In addition, another advantage is that it can act as a lubricant in the resin system, increasing the extrusion speed by 25% to 70%.
7. Other resin systems
In addition to being added to polyester, hollow glass beads can also be added to epoxy resin to make synthetic foam plastic blocks. The epoxy/glass bead synthetic foam has been successfully applied to the rudder in the United States. The foam plastic block is used as the core material of the rudder and the surface layer is glass fiber reinforced plastic. Compared with polyester, epoxy can significantly increase its strength while reducing weight. The data measured in the laboratory indicates that the ship rudder made of this material can withstand a bending load of up to 2500kg, which is three times the strength of engineering plastic ABS. In Germany, foam plastic blocks composed of polyimide resin and hollow glass beads are also used to make rudder, which is used on a 12.5m long, 55kg sailboat. Rigid polyimide foam blocks have been successfully used in structural materials. This structure can improve its compression, bending strength and modulus, and dimensional stability at high temperature.
Other application areas:
(1) Electronic industry, used for casting and sealing composite materials.
(2) Composite foam plastic block, used for hull and deck, deepwater floating body materials, etc.
(3) Sound insulation and insulation materials, used for various precision instruments, high-end buildings and facilities.
(4) Lightweight concrete, gypsum products, rubber products.