What Is A Cenosphere?
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The word cenosphere comes from two Greek words: kenos (hollow) and sphaira (sphere). Cenospheres are in fact hollow lightweight alumino-silicate bubbles. Cenospheres are also known as hollowspheres, microspheres, cennaspheres and hohlkugeln. |
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Physical Properties | |
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Specific Gravity(g/cc) |
0.75 - 0.9 |
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Bulk Density(KG/M3) |
350 - 550 |
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Hardness(Moh’s) |
5 - 7 |
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Compressive Strength(PSI) |
3000-5000 |
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Shape |
Spherical |
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Color |
Light Grey – Off White |
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Melting Point |
1400C |
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PH in water |
6 - 7 |
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Moisture |
0.5%Max |
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Sinkers |
5% Max |
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Oil Absorption |
16-18 G/100G |
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Typical Properties of Cenospheres | |
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SiO2 |
52 - 62% |
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Al2O3 |
32 - 36% |
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K2O |
1.2 – 3.2% |
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Fe2O3 |
1 - 2% |
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TiO2 |
0.8 - 1.3% |
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MgO |
1 – 2.5% |
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Na20 |
0.2 - 0.6% |
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CAO |
0.1 – 0.5% |
What Are The Advantages of Using Cenospheres?
Manufacturing Benefits: The spherical shape of Cenospheres improves flowability in most applications and provides a more even distribution of the filler material. The natural properties of Cenospheres make it possible to use them either in dry or wet slurry form. Cenospheres are easy to handle and provide a low surface area-to-volume ratio. Due to their inert properties, they are not affected by solvents, water, acids, or alkalis. Cenospheres are 75% lighter than other minerals currently used as a filler or extender and are 30 percent lighter than most resins.
Lowered Cost: Utilization of Cenospheres reduces the cost of manufacturers’ raw materials. The savings may be recognized in one or more of the following benefits:
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Product Improvement: Cenospheres can improve manufacturers’ end products by improving strength, durability, and by reducing weight. Cenospheres also provide added buoyancy, better insulative properties, and reduced shrinkage and warpage values. Their spherical shape may improve product stability and increase resistance to impact. Used in the production of insulating materials, Cenospheres better control both sound values and thermal conductivity. Many other benefits or advantages may be realized depending on the application.
Improved Marketing Strategies: Improvements in the durability and strength of manufacturers’ end products and a reduction in product weight enhance marketing strategies. A largely unaddressed advantage for product manufacturers is an environmentally responsible end-product. Manufacturers can use Cenospheres to produce an improved finished product without adding to the Earths overburdened landfills. The chemically inert properties of Cenospheres make them 100 percent recyclable. With societys heightened interest in environmental concerns, the recyclable properties of Cenospheres can and should be used in marketing the manufacturers’ end product.
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Applications: |
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Automobiles: Fabrication of composite polymeric putties
Ceramics: Refractories, Tiles, Fire bricks
Construction: Cenospheres is widely used in the construction industry. From roofing materials to stuccos and grouts, new applications and products continue to be developed. The quantity of Cenospheres used within the construction industry continues to grow today as more and more companies realize the advantages Cenospheres bring to their products.
Oil Fields: Cenospheres have been used in oilfield cementing for quite some time. During a cementing job, Cenospheres act to decrease the slurry density without increasing the water content. This in turn provides better compressive strength to the cement.
Plastics: Cenospheres are an excellent lightweight filler for plastics and continue to grow in popularity and use. Not only do they reduce the cost of the composite but Cenospheres often impart performance improvements that might otherwise not have been achieved. It is used in all types of Moulding, Nylon, Low Density Polyethylene and Polypropylene
Paints & Coatings: Cenospheres are special additives that both chemists and formulators in the paints and coatings industry are using to enhance their products. A sphere has the lowest surface area of any shape. As a result, these hollow ceramic microspheres reduce resin demand and increase volume loading capacity.
Cenoshphere 40 Grade
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