Zirconia beads are high-strength, inert, hard, fine spherical particles. In coatings, it can reduce cost, increase solids content, provide performance and improve process operating conditions.
1. Reduce viscosity and increase fluidity
Compared with other irregularly shaped fillers, zirconia balls roll easily like steel balls between bearings. Zirconium beads have a large specific gravity, easy rolling, and high kinetic energy, thereby reducing formulation viscosity, increasing flow, and improving sprayability
2. Higher filling volume and lower cost
Since zirconia beads have an extremely small surface area to volume ratio compared to other shapes of fillers. It can reduce the amount of resin and increase the amount of filler, and the smaller volume of microspheres fills the voids between the larger volume of microspheres, which increases the solid content, reduces VOC, and reduces costs.
3. High hardness and wear resistance
Zirconia beads are hard and wear-resistant, and zirconia beads make the paint surface hard and scratch-resistant. A long-lasting, like-new surface, saving you the cost and time of maintenance and recoating. With conventional fillers, loose or irregular particles can wear out or crack the surface quickly.
4. Gloss control
Many gloss-controlling materials increase viscosity. However, the use of zirconia beads can significantly reduce gloss without much increase in viscosity.
5. Effective barrier
The tightly packed, hard wear-resistant, inert particles of zirconia beads make the formulation extremely durable and low-penetration, forming an effective barrier to harsh weather and chemical corrosion.
6. Stability
Since the composition of zirconia beads is an inert ceramic, zirconia beads are resistant to attack by a variety of different chemicals.
7. Radiation curing
Zirconia beads are transparent to UV rays below 25nm, and UV energy can pass through the entire coating, which can help deep curing of UV-curable coatings and improve construction efficiency. For electron beam cured coating applications, zirconium beads can increase viscosity and control flow.
8. Small wear and tear of equipment
Due to the high compressive strength, zirconia beads are added during grinding. To improve the dispersion effect, sand milling, ball milling, and rolling can be used. Compared with other fillers of the same or lower hardness, the use of zirconium beads has less wear on the equipment.
