Plastic resin are compounded with different minerals filler. This minerals added to reducing the cost of using more expensive resin. Mineral filler also used for flexural, stiffness and impact strength. Now suppliers are developing functional mineral filler that can be used in different range of application such as anti-blocking transparent films, improved flow plastic compounds, LEDs, and 3D printing.

Micronized Talc Advances

Micronized talk grade are usually used combined with polypropylene (PP), Thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) and engineering plastic (polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) and polyamide (PA66/nylon))in automotive application such as dashboard, bumpers and other industrial application. By adding micronized talc, increase in stiffness and dimensional balance with improved low-temperature brittle break performance is achieved. Other than in automotive and industry, micronized talc are widely used on film application to provides extrusion slip performance, lower barrel and screw wear, along with anti-blocking and transparency. Many property enhancements, such as improved stiffness up to, dimensional control, and temperature aging to reduce automotive part weights and wall thicknesses that translate into tighter vehicle fit and finish tolerances, is the added value of using micronized talc.

Talc Process Enhancements

Previously silica based product are mined and processed further into agglomerates and then milled into different size according to needs. Nowadays new technology are used to achieve different result from the mining on silica based product. This technology includes in altering Temperature, pressure and flow rates. This, in turn, translates into a variety of particle sizes, size distributions, and porosity levels for optimizing thermoplastic compounds. This alteration of different component can achieve talc that are narrow in particle size and distribution so it will not effect clarity when it is used as an antilock in PP and PE films. However addition of silica may be accompanied with processing aid such as slip agent, heat stabilizer and UV enhancement to deliver the best result.

Application of Functionalized Talc

This new functional talc can be used as diffused of LED light. While LED light emit such a bright white into one direction, by adding 2-5% of functional talc will eliminate the need of using second diffuser on LED light in household appliances and automotive.

Another advancement in silica-based filler is glass microspheres both in hollow and solid forms. This gives performance that is midway between standardized glass fiber reinforcement and functional talc filler. This glass microsphere will improve stiffness, abrasion resistance and harsh chemical exposure. Glass microsphere can be incorporated in higher dosage compare to normal talc mineral fillers. However the flowability of the compound is still much better since effectively their concentration compare to talc is much lower. This also benefits in term of cost saving. To better adhere to the plastic glass microspeher are treated to that the surface is etched to improved on the bonding.