Different Industries Undertaking the Benefits of Using Mica Pigment Powder

Posted by Ajay Bagaria on June 13th, 2017

The mica is a sheet of glittery silicate minerals that contains various closely related materials that have perfect basal cleavage. It is a group of minerals having similar physical and chemical properties. They are all silicate minerals because they are found in distinct layers. Its flakes are flexible, soft, heat resistant, and are fairly light weight. In general, there are 37 different types of mica pigment powder; most commonly used among them are black biotite, purple lepidolite, brown phlogopite, and clear muscovite.

Various application of mica powder:

Welding electrodes – Muscovite ground mica is widely used in mild steel rutile-based welding electrodes. These electrodes are formed with a core of steel wire which is coated uniformly with “flux” consisting mica as a lagging compound. The mica coating is done to provide two distinctive types of protection while welding. First, it assists in forming a fusible slag and a great seal at the adjoining area on the arc. Second, it resists the action of the gaseous, heat, and other surrounding atmospheric oxidization.

Paints – In the paint industry, the mica pigment powder is used as an extender that facilitates suspension, prevents shrinking and shearing of the paint sheet, reduces chalking, increases a resistance of the paint sheet to weather and water penetration, and brightens the tone of colored pigments. It also enhances paint adhesion in aqueous and oleoresinous formulations. This is the second largest industry that uses the mica pigments for its goods.

Automotive Acoustics – In the automobile industry, its flakes are widely used as fillers in non-asbestos acoustic products for the treatment of noise protection systems. The count of mica acoustics compounds significantly enhances the properties of the material such as improved heat and UV rays’ resistance, reduced isotropic shrinkage and permeability, increased tensile and flexural strength, and enhanced dielectric and insulating properties. Therefore, mica is a unique mineral offering various advantages over the treatment of reducing flammability, noise and vibration absorption, adding low-temperature impact resistance, and high thermal stability.

Plastic industry – Yes, the mica pigment powder is also used in the plastic industry as an extender and filler, especially, for lightweight insulation to suppress noise and vibration. Mica is used as a strengthening component in plastic automobile fenders and fascia to deliver better strength and enhanced mechanical properties, improve stiffness, and dimensional stability. Mica-reinforced plastics consist of great heat dimensional stability, excellent surface properties, and reduced war page for any plastic filled composite.

Beauty products – As the micas are naturally occurring mineral, they are safe to be used in cosmetic industry as well to give excellent results after applying in on beauty products.