Filler (materials)
[1] Coarse filler materials such as construction aggregate and rebar are used in the building industry to make plaster, mortar and concrete.
US$18 billion) are used every year in the production of paper, plastics, rubber, paints, coatings, adhesives, and sealants.
Fillers are produced by more than 700 companies, rank among the world's major raw materials and are contained in a variety of goods for daily consumer needs.
[3] Filler materials can affect the tensile strength, toughness, heat resistance, color, clarity, etc.
Particulates are small particles of filler that are mixed in the matrix where size and aspect ratio are important.
[7] Kaolin has also been shown to increase the abrasion resistance and can replace carbon black as a filler material and improve the flow properties of glass-reinforced substances.
This filler can improve moisture content, wear resistance, thermal stability, and high dielectric strength.
Wollastonite competes with platy filler substances like mica and talc and also can be used to replace glass fibers when creating thermoplastics and thermosets.
Some disadvantages of having glass in the matrix include low surface quality, high viscosity when melted, poor weldability, and warpage.
[7] Coal and shale oil fly ashes have been used as a filler for thermoplastics that could be used for injection molding applications.
The advantages of adding nanofillers include creating a gas barrier and their flame-retardant properties.
[6] Polymer Foam Beads can have a bulk density as low as 0.011 g/cc and range in size from 45 microns to over 8 mm.
Common drawbacks to using Polymer Foam Beads in formulated systems include static, temperature, and chemical resistance limitations and difficulty achieving a homogenous blend within a formulated system due to their extremely low bulk density.
Despite these potential challenges, Polymer Foam Beads can be added to formulated systems when weight or cost savings in a finished good are required.
[4] Concrete filler materials are called construction aggregate and include gravel, stone, sand, and rebar.
Filler materials increase the modulus due to their rigidity or stiffness and good adhesion with the polymeric matrix.
Particle size, within a specific range can increase the impact strengths based on the filler material.
silica, alumina, molybdenum disulfide, and graphite powder are common fillers that improve wear resistance.
[15] The strength of the plastic after welding would decrease with an increasing amount of fillers in the matrix compared to the bulk material.
Abrasive fillers will degrade the welding tools faster, for example, the surface of the ultrasonic horn in contact with the plastic.
Undeniably the importance of filler masterbatch in improving the physical properties of plastics, especially minimizing cost and production efficiency.
