The development of the times has put forward higher requirements for materials, shoes are lighter, cars are more fuel-efficient, plastic products are more environmentally friendly, processing performance is better, cost is lower, and quality is better…
These are the source of material innovation and the driving force of the development of the times. As a new type of functional filler, hollow glass microspheres have gradually come under the spotlight of the material industry, bringing possibilities for more innovations.

Application of hollow glass microspheres in resin system
High-strength, low-density hollow glass microspheres can be used as lightweight additives in a variety of polymers and applications, while maintaining or improving processability and material physical properties, including:
1) Polyolefins, nylon composites and other thermoplastics
2) Thermosetting materials, liquids and pastes
3) Sheet molding and bulk molding composites
4) Elastomers
5) Substitute wood/polymer composites

Performance improvement of hollow glass microspheres for resin systems
The hollow microspheres can withstand processing conditions such as temperature and pressure of blending, injection molding, extrusion and other manufacturing processes. Correct use can improve product quality:

reduce weight
First of all, the density of glass beads is 0.4-0.75g/cm3, which reduces the density of the composite material to achieve the effect of weight reduction. Secondly, due to the hollow characteristics, the use of resin is reduced while meeting the performance; The development of aviation lightweight.

Improved dielectric properties
Since the interior of the glass beads is air, the dielectric constant of the air is 1, which makes the dielectric constant of the hollow glass beads very low as a whole, reducing the loss of high-frequency signals, which is very useful in the 5G industry and autonomous vehicles. .

Improve flow performance
Hollow glass microspheres are tiny spheres that play the role of miniature ball bearings in the resin, and have better fluidity than flake, needle or irregular shaped filler particles. The resulting microsphere effect makes mixing The viscosity of the material decreases, the filling performance is naturally excellent, and the good processing performance can increase the production efficiency by 15% to 20%.

Reduce shrinkage and warpage of products
Since spherical objects are isotropic, filled microbeads can overcome the disadvantage of inconsistent shrinkage rates of different parts caused by orientation, ensure the dimensional stability of the product, reduce warpage, and solve the problem that has always existed in the molding of special-shaped materials and large injection molding products. deformation problem. In addition, hollow glass microspheres are used as fillers to improve the processing speed of filling and modified materials and improve production efficiency.

lower oil absorption
The oil absorption rate of hollow glass microspheres is 0.20~0.60cc/g, because of its spherical structure, the specific surface area per unit volume is lower, and the oil absorption value is lower.

Volume cost is more economical
The density of high-performance hollow glass microspheres is only 1/5~1/2 of the resin density, and only a small amount of hollow glass microspheres can be used to replace other heavier powder materials under the same volume. When considering the cost per unit volume, the weight of the product can be reduced after filling, thereby reducing the amount of the main raw material resin and rubber, and reducing the cost of the product.

Reinforced resin rigidity, sound insulation and noise reduction
Hollow glass microspheres are rigid particles themselves, which can improve the compressive strength and modulus of the material after being added to the resin.
At the same time, because the interior of the glass beads is air, the air thermal conductivity is low, and the porous material will absorb the vibration of the sound wave, thereby reducing the heat and hindering the transmission of the sound wave.

FROM:Eighth Element Plastic Edition