Glass Beads-Filler Material

Glass microspheres are inorganic microspheres that can be used as lightweight fillers in numerous systems. With their spherical shape and low density, they provide many advantages when used as a replacement for other mineral fillers.

Improving processability, reducing material costs and providing the desired engineering properties in the final product is a widely applied practice across many sectors. Glass microspheres can be considered one of the oldest products manufactured in the world. In ancient Egypt, glass bubbles were used for decoration and ornamental purposes. By the 1930s, their light-reflecting properties were being utilized for road markings. By the 1960s, glass microspheres had established themselves in the plastics sector and began to be used in both thermoplastic and thermoset resins. Microspheres are used as reinforcing and filler materials in both thermoplastic and thermoset resins to increase physical properties, reduce costs and solve production problems. The use of fly ash process in solid glass microspheres led to the discovery of hollow glass microspheres. Hollow glass microspheres allow the resin to be expanded, volume to be increased and lower-weight end products to be obtained. Glass microspheres can be used with amines, anhydrites, polyamides and catalytic curing agents. The composition of microspheres is inert in nature. Insoluble in water; they do not react with solvents, organic chemicals, acids or alkalis. They do not affect the chemical properties of the product.  

In addition to providing strength and rigidity, oil absorption is low, and by improving the fluidity properties of the product, it allows easier placement in the mold. They provide lower viscosity. They improve insulation properties. They are easily recyclable and have no negative environmental effects.

Since they are made from colorless glass, they do not affect the color of formulations. Glass microspheres are harmless filler materials. Moreover, they are non-flammable and do not ignite. They have thermal conductivity. They are not affected by moisture in the air. They transmit UV rays, making them suitable for UV treatments. Most fillers consist of randomly shaped particles. This can provide fillers with certain disadvantages. On the other hand, the fact that microspheres consist of spherical shapes and are equally distributed within the product provides dimensional stability, which adds various advantages to glass microspheres. This also provides the formulation with easier application, better flow and leveling capability. Geometric calculations show that the surface area of a spherical particle is smaller relative to its volume compared to all other additive materials. This property allows more resin to be displaced by the microsphere without any loss and enables cost reduction. Glass microspheres come in different sizes and densities, which are determined based on their intended application and the product. Glass microspheres are added last to the mixture to minimize shearing during mixing, and the mixing process is carried out slowly and carefully to ensure homogeneity. Microspheres, being an engineering product, when selected in the appropriate size and density for their intended application and the formulation they will be added to, and incorporated in optimal quantities, reduce costs, increase volume and enable more efficient products to be obtained.