Polymeric Microsphere
The Many Uses of Polymeric Microspheres
Polymeric microspheres are so tiny that a bare pile of them looks and feels like nothing but fine powder. However, they offer a wide variety of capabilities that are of interest to makers of plastics, rubbers, paints, sealants, polymers, resins, emulsion explosives, and many more. These microspheres can be made with specific properties that allow them to serve a specialized use, so it's important for buyers to choose the right grades for the right finished products. If you’re not sure, we here at Lega Middle East can help.
Typically, microspheres are made of either glass or plastic. The glass ones are commonly made using a complex process that, after several steps, results in a sphere with just one "cell," or hollow, per unit. However, some are made of volcanic glass. These end up with several cells in each one.
A plastic polymeric microsphere has one cell per unit, and since it is completely man-made, can be produced with even more uniformity. These are also lighter in weight than glass, making them of high interest to plastics makers and extruders. However, the fact that they can melt makes them hard to use in blow-molding operations.
Our Polymeric Microspheres are developed from a special synthesis process with injected isobutane gas. This makes the product very lightweight, and allows it to perform better than any other existing types of microspheres.
Expanded polymeric microspheres are produced at our factory in UAE under Expancel brand name supplied by Nouryon. The expanded ones, with the hollow cells inside, are good fillers for adhesives, sealants, paints, printer's ink, car and boat body filler, and other materials that need to be spreadable at some point during use. Unexpanded microspheres, on the other hand, are preferred by the rubber industry and those who make acoustic materials. Many other industries rely on them as well.
These are just some of the many varieties and possible uses of polymeric microspheres. A high-quality manufacturer like Lega Middle East will be able to make the specific kinds you need for your products.