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.
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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.
Introduction to Hollow Glass Microspheres:
Hollow glass microspheres are small spherical powders that are hollow and contain inert gases. They belong to non-metallic inorganic materials and are known as “materials of the space age”.
Hollow glass microspheres are widely used in fields such as building materials, plastics, rubber, coatings, petrochemicals, metallurgy, deep-sea, and aerospace, especially in the oil well cementing industry. They have irreplaceable important applications, and as the unique properties of hollow glass microspheres are further recognized, their application fields will continue to expand.
Hollow glass microspheres are a type of hollow, inert gas containing small spherical powder of hollow glass. It belongs to non-metallic inorganic materials.
Surface modification of hollow glass microspheres:
Hollow glass microspheres are inorganic fillers with poor compatibility with organic polymers. If directly added to the polymer without modification, the interaction force between the two phases is weak, and the interfacial bonding effect is small, which may form stress concentration points and weaken the material performance.
Application of hollow glass microspheres:
1. Application in composite materials:
It can be filled in most thermosetting and thermoplastic resin products, and can improve or determine the properties of the material.
2. Application in solid buoyancy materials:
***Buoyant materials have high compressive strength and high safety reliability.
3. Application in oil well cement:
Improve the effective compressive strength of cement slurry.
4. Applications in aviation and aerospace materials:
Non combustible, thermal insulation, electrical insulation, and chemical inertness, formulated as microsphere adhesive or microsphere sealant.
5. Application in coatings:
Efficient filling ability, adding 5% (weight percentage) can increase the finished product by 25%, 6-35% coating area percentage, and reduce unit volume cost.
6. Application in rubber and plastic products:
As a filler, its filling amount reaches 40-80%, which can improve the strength and wear resistance of rubber products, and its main performance is superior to other fillers.
7. Other applications
Hollow glass microsphere powder has a low density, and after surface metallization treatment, it can replace metal powder with higher density for electromagnetic wave absorption or preparation of electromagnetic shielding materials.
Application of Hollow Glass Microspheres in Paint Coatings:
Hollow glass microspheres have a small specific surface area and low oil absorption, which can reduce the use of other production components in coatings.
The surface of hollow glass microspheres with vitrified material is more resistant to chemical corrosion and has a reflective effect on light.
The paint coating has anti fouling, anti-corrosion, UV protection, anti yellowing, and scratch resistance effects.
The tightly arranged hollow glass microspheres contain thin gas inside, and their thermal conductivity is low, so the coating has a very good thermal insulation effect.
Hollow glass microspheres can effectively enhance the flow and leveling properties of coatings.
The gas contained in the hollow glass bead has good resistance to cold and heat shrinkage, thus enhancing the elasticity of the coating, * * * reducing the cracking and falling off of the coating due to Thermal expansion.
On the premise of high filling content of hollow glass microspheres, the viscosity of the coating does not increase significantly, so the use of solvents can be reduced, which can reduce the emission of toxic gases during the use of the coating and effectively reduce the VOC index.
Application of Hollow Glass Microspheres in the Thermal Insulation Coating Industry (Waterproof, Low Alkali Microspheres)
Glass microspheres have the smallest specific surface area and low oil absorption, which can greatly reduce the use of other production components in coatings.
The vitrified surface of glass microspheres is more resistant to chemical corrosion and has a reflective effect on light. Therefore, paint coatings have anti fouling, anti corrosion, anti UV, anti yellowing, and anti scratch effects.
The tightly arranged hollow glass microspheres contain thin gas inside, and their thermal conductivity is low, so the coating has a very good thermal insulation effect.
Hollow glass microspheres can effectively enhance the flow and leveling properties of coatings.
⊙ The gas contained in the hollow glass bead has good resistance to cold and heat shrinkage, thus enhancing the elasticity of the coating and greatly reducing the cracking and falling off of the coating due to Thermal expansion.
Under the premise of high filling amount, the viscosity of the coating does not increase significantly, so the use of solvents can be reduced, which can reduce the emission of toxic gases during the use of the coating and effectively reduce the VOC index.
Usage suggestions:
The general addition amount is 8-20% of the total weight
Suggest the following addition method: Finally, add.
Place the hollow glass microspheres at the end and add them, using a low speed and low shear mixing equipment to disperse them. Because the microspheres have good spherical fluidity and little friction between them, they are easily dispersed and can be completely wet in a short period of time. Simply extend the mixing time to achieve uniform dispersion.
Hollow glass microspheres are chemically inert and non-toxic, but due to their extreme lightness, special attention needs to be paid when adding them. We suggest adopting a step-by-step addition method, which means adding 1/2 of the remaining microspheres each time and gradually adding them. This can effectively prevent the microspheres from floating into the air and making the dispersion more complete. ⊙ 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.
Applicable process: Except for hand layup process and extrusion molding process, both are applicable.
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.
Application of Hollow Glass Microspheres in Artificial Marble Products
Adding hollow glass microspheres can reduce the weight of products, 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
Artificial wood filled with hollow glass beads can provide excellent quality assurance for manufacturing furniture components, decorations, and sculptures. Adding different proportions of hollow glass microspheres to the original formula can adjust the product density.
The oil absorption rate of hollow glass microspheres is much smaller than that of ordinary fillers such as calcium carbonate, which can significantly reduce viscosity.
Compared with traditional mineral additives, hollow glass microspheres have better flowability and are suitable for manufacturing large and thin plates. The material added with hollow glass microspheres is easier to nail and process, changing the phenomenon of cracking after nails commonly found in traditional formula artificial wood.
Mixing of hollow glass microspheres:
The filling amount of hollow glass microspheres is generally between 5% and 20%. Hollow glass microspheres are easily mixed with resin, and it is generally recommended to add hollow glass microspheres in the final stage of mixing at a slower stirring speed. If a high-pressure pump must be used, it is necessary to determine in advance whether the strength of the hollow glass microspheres meets the requirements.
Note: The mixing method of hollow glass microspheres is also an important factor, and we strongly recommend that the mixing speed of adding hollow glass microspheres should be less than 100 revolutions per minute. The preparation of low density cement slurry for oil and gas field cementing often uses fly ash hollow floating beads as a reducing agent. However, due to the increasingly scarce supply of these raw materials and low compressive strength, the current performance of low density cement slurry for cementing is unstable, the quality of cementing is poor, and it is easy to cause a series of problems such as cementing leakage. Zhonggang high-performance hollow glass beads are made of Soda lime and borosilicate ultra light materials. They are rigid spheres and do not deform when heated. The ultra-low density cement slurry prepared by this reducing agent has good flowability, viscosity, low water loss, and significantly improves the compressive and flexural properties of the solidified cement stone. At the same time, it also improves the thermal stability and durability of the cement stone. The cement slurry produced by mixing with cement has a density of 0.90~1.45g/cm3. The cementing quality is better than that of fly ash hollow floating beads.
In recent years, the demand for sealant in the construction industry has been increasing, with organic silicone sealant being the most widely used and widely used. Organic silicone sealant is mainly made from polysiloxane as the main raw material, and its molecular chain is composed of silica chains. During the vulcanization process, a network of silica chain skeleton structures is formed through cross-linking. The bond energy of Si-0 (444 kJ/mol) is very high, which is not only much higher than the main chain bond energy of other ordinary polymers, but also higher than the UV light energy (399 kJ/mol). Therefore, it has excellent high and low temperature resistance, weather resistance, and UV light aging resistance.
5235 special silicone modified polyester resin is a specially treated silicone modified polyester resin with excellent film-forming properties, high gloss, high temperature resistance, high hardness baking resin, excellent physical compatibility, and excellent storage stability. The hardness reaches 7H after fully curing on the stainless steel plate (Uni-ball)
1) High hardness and good toughness: the surface hardness of stainless steel substrate can reach 7H after curing and film forming (Uni-ball);
2) Good adhesion: can reach level 0 on metal substrates such as stainless steel, and some substrates can reach level 1; 3) High fullness, high gloss, and smoothness;
4) High transparency: The paint film is colorless and transparent, with a transmittance of ≥ 92%; (Various colors can be modulated by oneself)
5) Good heat resistance: Light oil resin can withstand high temperatures of 350 ℃ for a short period of time;
6) Excellent storage stability, capable of grinding various high-temperature resistant color pastes
7) Excellent compatibility with any other silicone polyester resin
8) Can solidify into a film within the temperature range of 180-280 degrees
Resin application range:
1 Individually used in high temperature resistant coatings, such as hair clip coating, Non-stick surface coating, high temperature resistant industrial coating, etc
2. Grind various high-temperature resistant color pastes
3. Mixing with other resins to improve heat resistance and gloss
Alternative to general nano silicone resin
In addition, silicone sealant is also a good adhesive material, with excellent adhesion performance to glass, and is commonly used for sealing and bonding of double-layer insulating glass. Reinforcement fillers account for a relatively high proportion in the formula of silicone sealant, commonly used include Nanomaterial calcium carbonate, fumed silica, carbon ink, etc. When using nanomaterial calcium carbonate as a reinforcing filler, the dosage can reach 60% of the total mass of the system. In addition, some silicone sealants will add incremental fillers to reduce costs, adjust and improve Thixotropy and fluidity. The common incremental filler is heavy calcium carbonate. The common characteristic of the above fillers is their high density, such as Nanomaterial calcium carbonate with a density of 2.7g/cm3, which also leads to a higher density of the final product sealant. Most silicone sealants have a density of about 1.5g/cm3. Hollow glass microspheres, also known as hollow glass microspheres, are a lightweight inorganic powder material developed in recent years.
Hollow glass microspheres are borosilicate glass formed at high temperatures (>1400 ℃) and have stable chemical properties. Hollow glass microspheres are hollow, thin-walled, closed spherical structures with thin gases inside. This special structure gives them the characteristics of low density, low thermal conductivity, and high compressive strength. The true density of hollow glass microspheres is 0.12-0.70g/cm3, and the thermal conductivity is 0.038-0.085 W/(m · K). They can be used as semi reinforcing fillers in silicone sealant, effectively reducing the density and thermal conductivity of the sealant, and also increasing the thermal deformation temperature of the sealant. In addition, hollow glass microspheres generally do not react with substrates or other substances and are suitable for various systems.
Hollow glass microspheres, also known as glass bubbles or glass beads, are lightweight, spherical particles made of glass with air or gas trapped inside. These microspheres have various functions and applications in coatings due to their unique properties. Here are some of their key functions and applications:
- Density Reduction: One of the primary functions of hollow glass microspheres in coatings is density reduction. The low density of the glass microspheres allows them to displace heavier materials, such as fillers or pigments, without sacrificing the volume of the coating. This property helps to reduce the overall weight of the coating, making it beneficial for applications where weight is a critical factor, such as aerospace or automotive coatings.
- Improved Thermal Insulation: The air or gas trapped inside the hollow glass microspheres provides excellent thermal insulation properties. When incorporated into coatings, they create a thermal barrier that reduces heat transfer. This feature is particularly useful in applications where temperature control is important, such as industrial coatings for pipes, tanks, or equipment.
- Enhanced Mechanical Properties: Hollow glass microspheres can improve the mechanical properties of coatings. When dispersed in the coating matrix, they enhance its tensile strength, flexural strength, and impact resistance. These microspheres reinforce the coating, making it more durable and resistant to cracking, chipping, or abrasion.
- Reduced Shrinkage and Warping: Coatings that contain hollow glass microspheres exhibit reduced shrinkage and warping tendencies. The microspheres act as internal voids within the coating, counteracting the shrinkage forces and reducing the overall dimensional changes during drying or curing. This helps to minimize cracking and improve the coating’s overall stability.
- Improved Flow and Levelling: The spherical shape of hollow glass microspheres promotes improved flow and levelling properties of coatings. They act as ball bearings within the coating, allowing for better dispersion and movement of the coating material. This feature helps to achieve a smoother and more uniform surface finish, especially in high-build or textured coatings.
- Opacity and Gloss Control: Hollow glass microspheres can be used to control the opacity and gloss of coatings. By adjusting the concentration and size of the microspheres, the scattering of light within the coating can be manipulated. This allows for fine-tuning of the coating’s transparency, opacity, and gloss levels, meeting specific aesthetic requirements.
- Chemical Resistance and Barrier Properties: The glass material of the microspheres provides inherent chemical resistance and barrier properties. When incorporated into coatings, they enhance the coating’s ability to resist chemical attack, moisture penetration, and environmental degradation. This is particularly beneficial in protective coatings for harsh or corrosive environments.
The application of hollow glass microspheres in coatings is versatile and can be found in various industries such as automotive, aerospace, marine, construction, and industrial coatings. They are commonly used in waterborne and solvent-based coatings, powder coatings, and other formulations where their unique properties can provide specific benefits.
It’s important to note that the specific performance and benefits of hollow glass microspheres in coatings may vary depending on factors such as the size
Hollow glass microspheres, also known as glass bubbles, are microscopic spheres made from glass that contain a void or hollow center. These spheres have several distinctive characteristics that make them useful in various applications. Here are some of the key characteristics of hollow glass microspheres:
- Lightweight: Hollow glass microspheres have a very low density, typically ranging from 0.15 to 0.6 g/cm³. This makes them one of the lightest solid materials available. Their lightweight nature allows for reduced weight in composite materials and improved buoyancy in applications such as fillers in paints and coatings.
- High Strength: Despite their low density, hollow glass microspheres have excellent compressive strength. They can withstand significant loads without deformation or collapse. This property makes them suitable for use in structural applications where weight reduction is desired without compromising strength.
- Thermal Insulation: Hollow glass microspheres exhibit excellent thermal insulation properties. The air trapped within the hollow center of the microspheres acts as an insulating barrier, reducing heat transfer. This characteristic makes them useful in insulation materials, such as coatings, plastics, and composites, to enhance energy efficiency.
- Low Thermal Conductivity: Due to their hollow structure and the presence of trapped air, hollow glass microspheres have low thermal conductivity. They are effective at reducing heat transfer, making them useful in applications requiring thermal insulation, such as building materials and cryogenic insulation.
- Chemical Inertness: Glass is known for its chemical inertness, and hollow glass microspheres inherit this characteristic. They are resistant to most chemicals, acids, bases, and solvents. This makes them suitable for applications in harsh environments or chemical processing industries.
- Improved Flow and Dispersion: Hollow glass microspheres have a spherical shape and a smooth surface, which contributes to their excellent flow and dispersion properties. They can easily mix with other materials, such as resins, polymers, and liquids, improving the processability and uniformity of the final product.
- Low Dielectric Constant: Hollow glass microspheres have a low dielectric constant, making them useful in electrical and electronic applications. They can be incorporated into insulating materials to reduce the overall dielectric constant and improve electrical performance.
These characteristics make hollow glass microspheres versatile materials with applications in a wide range of industries, including aerospace, automotive, construction, marine, and energy.
