Plastics
Ground mica ground can be successfully mixed with various thermoplastic polymeric materials and thermosetting resins and most of them can be used in products that have a direct contact with food. Ground mica is often used in the production of plastic products such as:
- thermoplastic polymers (PP, PE, ABS, PS, HIPS, SAN, BDS, etc.)
- thermosetting resins (polyester, acrylic, polyurethane, etc.).
It is used in the form of powders of different grain size, which can be dispersed and distributed in a single or twin-screw extruders or added directly to the polymer mass by an additional dispenser located at the form.
Ground mica powders do not lose their properties even if the use of even the most aggressive production techniques.
Mica powder in the plastics can be used to strengthen, stiffening and reduce wrinkling of the materials; reducing the thermal expansion and conductivity, improving the insulating properties and vibration damping and to increase adhesion to the substrate.
Mica, due to its highly delaminated flake structure, is suitably used in large proportion as non-asbestos fillers that provide reinforcement and improve physical properties of the mica-plastic composites. Mica improves material properties of plastic composites significantly.
Addition of mica results in higher heat distortion temperature, increased flexural modulus, increased flexural strength, reduced shrinkage, better chemical resistance, reduced permeability, better dielectric properties and better surface properties to plastic composites. As a rigid flake, mica provides mechanical reinforcement along a plane rather than a single axis as in the case of a glass fiber.
It is particularly used in thermoplastic polymers, e.g. PP, PST, PET, HDPE, ABS and Nylon 6/6, thermosets and elastomers plastic compounds. It also provides a gloss of polymer masses.
Automotive plastics
Some of the latest research and testing have resulted in extensive use of mica in place of asbestos in acoustic compounds in automotive plastics that change vibrations and control noise. It is used in air condition fan blades, dashboard panels, head lamp assemblies, fan shrouds and floor flake to strengthen lightweight plastic seat backs, load floors, grill panels, ignition system parts, and air condition and heater valve housings.
Automakers throughout are now encouraged to apply increasing quantities of mica in acoustic compounds that changes vibrations and eliminate road and engine noise which are fine examples of mica filled polypropylene products found in automobiles.
While every attempt has been made to verify the source of the information, no responsibility is accepted for accuracy of data.