Microspheres

What are microspheres?

Glass microspheres are hollow, thin-walled glass spheres made of Alumina Silicate. They can be found in various grades that vary in their crush strength, density, and particle size. In addition, they are used in a wide range of applications.

The microsphere is a raw material that is used in the different production processes.

Some of the advantages of microspheres are the following:

It favors a better handling during the production of the materials, since it helps to reduce its viscosity.
They have a higher resistance to stress.
They provide greater strength and consistency and a reduction in weight in the final products, thus contributing to the reduction in the cost of transporting the products and taxes where applicable.
Microspheres help improve circulation reducing breakage in mixing, pouring and product drops.

Available types

All the microspheres available at Minerals&Fillers:

	HGS – 16		HGS – 21		HGS – 30		HGS – 35		HGS – 50
	(lbs/ft³)	(g/cm³)	(lbs/ft³)	(g/cm³)	(lbs/ft³)	(g/cm³)	(lbs/ft³)	(g/cm³)	(lbs/ft³)	(g/cm³)
Dry Bulk Density	8.5	0.136	7.0	0.112	10.5	0.168	9.0	0.144	13.0	0.208
Dry Bulk Density Range	8.0-9.0	0.128-0.144	6.5-7.5	0.104-0.120	10.0-11.0	0.160-0.176	8.5-9.5	0.136-0.152	12.5-13.5	0.200-0.216
Effective Particle Density ESG	13.5	0.216	10.5	0.170	16.0	0.255	15.0	0.240	21.0	0.336
Effective Particle Density Rabge	12.3-14.4	0.197-0.231	10.0-11.5	0.160-0.184	15.2-17.3	0.244-0.277	14.2-15.6	0.228-0.250	19.3-21.5	0.310-0.345
Average Particle Size (µm)	45		75		37		40		32
Particles Size Range (µm)	1-220		1-300		1-150		1-150		1-110
Thermal conductivity (BTU-in/hr/ft²/ºF)	0.40		0.36		0.43		0.41		0.45
Weight per bag (Lb \| kg)	34	15.42	28	12.70	42	19.05	36	16.33	50	22.68

Representative Particle Distribution

Retention % by weight (U.S. sieve)

	HGS-16	HGS-21	HGS-30	HGS-35	HGS-50
0%	1%	0%	0%	0%
-50 + 100 Mesh (-300 + 150 µm)	1%	8%	Trace	Trace	Trace
-100 + 200 Mesh (-150 + 75 µm)	16%	26%	11%	12%	4%
-200 + 325 Mesh (-75 + 45 µm)	26%	22%	21%	24%	13%
12%	12%	19%	18%	10%
-450 + 635 Mesh (-32 + 20 µm)	18%	6%	15%	13%	23%
-635 Mesh (-20 µm)	27%	25%	34%	33%	50%

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Microspheres applications

Microspheres are a material with multiple applications in various sectors. In the construction sector, they are used in the manufacture of concrete and cement, as well as for refractory materials. In addition, they are very useful in the manufacture of nautical and aeronautical materials, since they are used for caulking and sealing.

In other sectors, such as coatings and paints, microspheres are an essential component to improve the properties of these materials. They are also used in the production of synthetic and cultured marbles, resins and molds, plasticizers, synthetic woods, and adhesives.

Another interesting application is their use in the manufacture of explosives, since their presence can reduce the density and critical diameter, and increase the velocity and pressure of detonation. In summary, microspheres are a material with a wide spectrum of applications in different industries, which makes them very valuable and versatile.

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CHEMICAL

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CONSTRUCTION

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PHARMA

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Coatings and paints

The microspheres are used for thermal insulating and anti-condensing paints with the aim of reducing the density and concentration of paints. Paint with microspheres uses a smaller amount of paint, thus lowering its price. They are also used to make roof and wall coverings, for acrylic sealants and reflective paints for road signs.

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Composites

Microspheres are also used to improve the thermal shock index, reduce cracking, warping and breakage, as well as to decrease the weight of synthetic marbles by 25-50%, transportation and formulation costs, and improve impact resistance.

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Adhesives, resins and sealants

Microspheres are used in the manufacture of resins, adhesives, and sealants. Its use is due to the fact that it improves the resistance to compression, hardness, resistance to cutting and abrasion of materials, as well as its dimensional stability, reduces density and improves fire resistance and adhesion. These properties make microspheres a useful and versatile component in the manufacture of composite materials and can significantly improve the mechanical and processing properties of the composite.

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