Mineral fi llers | additives feature
The use of functional fi llers is an important means of fi ne-tuning the properties of compounds, writes Pat Toensmeier
Finding new functions for mineral fi llers
Suppliers of functional fi llers, especially natural mineral fi llers, are actively promoting the wide range of benefi ts that their materials can provide in an effort to create or broaden applications in numerous markets. Researchers are not only fi ne-tuning the widely
known properties of fi llers like talc, mica, diatomaceous earths and kaolins to name a few; they are analysing new materials with an eye on extracting additional performance properties that can lead to greater use in more products. The effort is achieving impressive gains. Innovative
formulations, proprietary process technologies and other techniques are yielding grades that provide benefi ts ranging from increases in tensile strength, product clarity and abrasion resistance, to fl ame retardance, reinforcement, thin-walling and downgaug- ing, plus faster cycle times for downstream parts. Much of the work in expanding the properties of fi llers is done with natural mineral grades, which are replacing synthetics in a number of applications for the benefi ts they provide in sustainability and environmentally responsible manufacturing, as well as performance. One company that sees this trend underway is LKAB Minerals (the company was known as Minelco before its
www.compoundingworld.com
name was changed on 1 July as part of a rebranding initiative by its parent LKAB). Natural fi llers tend to be coarser than synthetics, which may affect performance and dispersion. LKAB, however, has developed in-house technology to produce fi ne particle sizes. These in turn improve the mechani- cal properties and functionalities of fi llers in com- pounds, as well as their dispersion. One example of a recent product development in this
area is UltraCarb, a blend of huntite and hydromagne- site that yields halogen-free fl ame-retardants (FR) for wire and cable compounds and other polyolefi ns. Stefan Viering, technical sales manager for polymers at LKAB Minerals, says that the fi llers have a top-cut of less than 10 microns, well below the 16 to 17 micron range of most fi llers. UltraCarb’s particle size raises mechanical proper-
ties in compounds, especially cable sheathing, which has to meet high performance standards and conform to various regulations. “This fi ller has similar FR performance as the widely used alumina trihydrate and magnesium hydroxide, but is generally less expensive,” Viering says. The particle shape also enhances performance because it is in the
August 2013 | COMPOUNDING WORLD 45
UltraCarb fi llers from
LKAB Minerals provide
mechanical and
fl ame-retardant properties to
wire and cable compounds
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