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Why Use Glass Bubbles in Foam Concrete?

Weight Reduction:

Glass bubbles are extremely light — they replace heavier solid materials (like sand or even part of the cement), making the concrete much lighter.

Thermal Insulation:

They add excellent thermal insulation, reducing heat transfer through the concrete.

Workability:

Because they are spherical, they improve flow and workability of the fresh concrete mix.

Strength Maintenance:

Despite being hollow, high-quality glass bubbles can maintain or even slightly enhance compressive strength compared to traditional foam-only systems.

Durability and Stability:

Glass bubbles are chemically stable — they don’t react with cement hydration and they resist water absorption.

Applications

Roof insulation slabs

Prefabricated lightweight panels

Soundproof walls

Floating concrete structures (marine buoys, docks)

Energy-efficient building materials

Important Tips:

Choose strong glass bubbles (like 3M’s iM30k, S60HS, or HGS series) — low-crush types.

Optimize the volume fraction: too many bubbles = reduced strength; balance is key.

Mix gently: aggressive mixing will crush the bubbles and defeat the purpose.

Cost consideration: glass bubbles are more expensive than sand or cement, but their lightweight and thermal benefits often justify the cost for specialized applications.