Potters Hollow Spheres
The Lightweight Additive for Peak Performance
Improving your Products Performance with Potters Hollow Spheres
Potters Hollow Spheres have developed a world-wide reputation for
improving product performance. Developed originally to extend plastic
compounds, Hollow Spheres are now widely used in diverse
applications such as industrial explosives and as performance
additives for the refractory and ceramic industries.
Scientists, Designers and Engineers rely on Hollow Spheres for
solving application problems and for providing functional values.
Potters Europe offers Hollow Spheres in various compositions such
as Q-Cel® Ultra-Light Weight Reducing Hollow Microspheres
and Sphericel® Ultra-Fine Weight Reducing Hollow Glass
Microspheres.
These microspheres are available in many particle sizes, densities and strengths to meet your
specific requirements. Potters Hollow Spheres are also available with functional surface coatings,
including silane, silver and other metals, and are fully compatible with polyesters, epoxies,
phenolic resins, urethanes, plastisols, thermoplastics and latex; concrete and other building
materials; and emulsion and water gel explosives.
Simple but Versatile
Potters Hollow Spheres are simple but versatile. Essentially, they are cells
made to controlled dimensions. Each cell contains air. To the naked eye, the
spheres look like fine powder. When viewed through a microscope, they
resemble tiny ping-pong balls. Spheres have thin walls, relative to their
diameters and provide a hollow space. The result is a light-weight material
with the potential to enhance the properties of a wide range of products.
Why use Potters Hollow Spheres?
They are Lightweight
Hollow Spheres are only a fraction of the density of
commonly used resins. It only takes a small addition
by weight of Hollow Spheres to displace heavier
materials. They simultaneously add volume and
reduce density. If you are looking for buoyancy, no
filler performs as well as Potters Hollow Spheres.
Additionally, they can save material costs; on a
volume basis, microspheres are a fraction of the
cost of resins.
Information contained in this publication (and otherwise supplied to users) is based on our general experience and is given in good faith, but we are unable to accept the responsibility in respect of
factors which are outside our knowledge or control.
Potters Europe (EGM Division) and Potters Hollow Spheres are trading names of Potters Ballotini Limited
Q-Cel®, Sphericel®, Spheriglass®, Spheriwhite® and Luxsil® are registered trademarks of Potters Industries LLC.
Ref: 3-08-002-1-03
They go with the flow
Potters Hollow Spheres act like tiny ball bearings. They impart flow properties superior to
irregularly shaped fillers. In liquids, conventional fillers tend to increase viscosity because of their
shape and high surface area. Conversely, spheres have the least surface area of any particle
shape. High loading of Hollow Spheres can be achieved without unacceptable increases in
viscosity. At low filler loadings, Hollow Spheres improve pumping and flow rates. The ball-bearing
effect and low overall viscosity also allows faster mould filling.
They are great stress resisters
Potters Hollow Spheres are extremely
abrupt temperature changes, such as
increase the stiffness of composites
applications, and help formulate putties
they
good at resisting thermal stress in materials subject to
cultured marble bath ware. Hollow Spheres can also
used in sandwich construction for marine and auto
and spackling compounds that virtually do not shrink as
dry
Applications for Potters Hollow Spheres
End Use
Matrix
Advantages
Cultured Marble
Simulated
Wood
Furniture
Decorative Casting
Marine
Decks,
hull
coring
Marine Putty
Fibreglass-reinforced
plastic coring
Bowling Ball cores
Plywood
patching
compounds
Insulating pipe covering
Polyester
Density Reduction
Resistance to thermal shock
Casting quality
Polyester,
epoxy
Cost Reduction
Improved stiffness
Easier finishing
Polyester
Polyester,
epoxy,
polyurethane
Density control
Improved
shaping
finishing
Thermal insulation
Automotive
sounddeadening pads
Automotive sealants
Asphaltic
Auto, truck brake
compounds
Syntactic foam
Flotation devices
Hi-Mil Coatings
Textured paints
Phenolic
Density reduction
Acoustic insulation
Density Reduction
Reduced sag tendency
Chip resistance
Increased pad life
Density reduction
Density Reduction
Grouts, roof coatings
Synthetic Stucco
Concrete
Industrial Explosives
Refractory
compounds/bricks
Grinding wheels
PVC Plastisol
Epoxy
Solventbased resin,
water-borne
binder
Latex,
elastomeric
latex,
latex/cement,
cement
Water
Gel,
emulsion
Ceramic
composite
Ceramic
composite,
phenolic
and
.
They make finishing easier
Pastes and putties made with Potters Hollow
Spheres are easy to sand and file. That’s
because it’s easier to cut through a Hollow
Spheres than a solid particle. The same
applies for holding power when using screws,
nail and staples. The spheres collapse as the
fastener enters, making room for its
penetration. In addition, pastes and putties
are also less likely to sag and slump when
Potters spheres are used to reduce density.
Density Reduction
Improved Rheology
Anti-skid
Density reduction,
Enhanced Trowelability
Improved Sprayability
Sensitivity
Thermal insulation
Antislump in green state
Controlled porosity
Weight reduction
They are good insulators
Because heat and sound are not as readily
transmitted across voids as they are through
solids, Hollow Spheres have measurable
values as sound and thermal insulators. They
also add insulating values without adding a
lot of weight.
Information contained in this publication (and otherwise supplied to users) is based on our general experience and is given in good faith, but we are unable to accept the responsibility in respect of
factors which are outside our knowledge or control.
Potters Europe (EGM Division) and Potters Hollow Spheres are trading names of Potters Ballotini Limited
Q-Cel®, Sphericel®, Spheriglass®, Spheriwhite® and Luxsil® are registered trademarks of Potters Industries LLC.
Ref: 3-08-002-1-03
They are reliable sensitizers
Potters Hollow Spheres are unsurpassed as
sensitizers for emulsion and water gel
explosives used in mining, quarrying and
construction. The tiny spheres function as
pockets of encapsulated air within the explosive
matrix. When the explosive is detonated, the
pockets of air become hot spots that concentrate
the explosive and generate high temperatures.
PQ Hollow Spheres are more economical as a
sensitizer than flake aluminium, inorganic nitro
and nitrate compounds, and they withstand mixing and pumping pressure better than other
materials.
Other Product Range:
Spheriglass® Performance-Enhancing Solid Glass Microspheres
Spheriwhite® Colour-Enhancing Solid Glass Microspheres
Luxsil® Cosmetic Microspheres
For further information about our range of Hollow Glass Microspheres, please do not hesitate to
contact us:
Potters Hollow Spheres
Pontefract Road
Barnsley S71 1HJ
South Yorkshire
United Kingdom
Tel. +44 (0) 1226 704 516
Fax. +44 (0) 1226 207 615
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.potterseurope.com
Information contained in this publication (and otherwise supplied to users) is based on our general experience and is given in good faith, but we are unable to accept the responsibility in respect of
factors which are outside our knowledge or control.
Potters Europe (EGM Division) and Potters Hollow Spheres are trading names of Potters Ballotini Limited
Q-Cel®, Sphericel®, Spheriglass®, Spheriwhite® and Luxsil® are registered trademarks of Potters Industries LLC.
Ref: 3-08-002-1-03