Glass fiber extension
Minerals like wollastonite, calcined kaolin, talc, and mica can partially replace glass fiber in polyamide compounds to improve mechanical properties and cut your costs.
Added strength with less glass
We have a range of minerals that can replace or extend chopped glass fiber if you’re manufacturing polyamide compounds. They also offer additional benefits such as reduced warpage and improved surface appearance.
High-aspect-ratio wollastonite such as our Nyglos® range can be used to replace one-third of chopped glass fiber in polyamide formulations where it:
- Maintains or even improves thermal and mechanical properties
- Improves surface aesthetics due to less splay during injection moulding
- Reduces equipment abrasion, hence maintenance costs
- Increases brightness and gloss
- Maintains weldline strength (especially surface treated wollastonite)
Mica is another good reinforcing additive that can partially replace glass fiber to maximize stiffness while maintaining strength and the toughness properties inherent to glass-fiber reinforcement. Mica can also improve flexural and tensile modulus; maintain heat deflection temperature; improve melt rheology; and reduce cross-flow shrinkage.
Calcined kaolin is ideal for engineering thermoplastics to enhance key performance requirements including reinforcement and reducing warpage and shrinkage of the molding. Used in combination with glass fibers, silane-modified calcined kaolin significantly improves elongation at break, falling weight impact strength, unnotched Charpy strength and toughness.
Where available, platy talc* minerals are another good reinforcing additive that can be used for partial replacement of chopped glass fiber, while offering a range of other benefits, in particular:
- Improve melt rheology
- Increase stiffness and heat deflection temperatures
- Reduce anisotropy—inherent in glass fiber filled formulations
- Increase crystallization temperature, hence reducing injection molding cycle time
Tell us about your specific processes and products, and we’ll find a glass fiber extender that fits your budget and your needs.
*Talc products are not available in the USA and Canada. Contact us for an alternative range.
