STOCKMEIER Holding SE, Bielefeld
Am Stadtholz 37
33609 Bielefeld

+49 521 / 3037-0
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Mineral powder

Industrial minerals & functional fillers for paints and coatings

High-performance products for your application

Paints & Coatings, Construction, Adhesives
  • Industrial minerals & functional fillers for paints and coatings

What are industrial minerals & functional fillers?

A brief explanation

Industrial minerals and functional fillers are broken down and carefully prepared, mostly from natural rocks typically found above ground and more rarely underground. This usually includes pre-sorting processes in which a targeted enrichment of the desired minerals and a reduction of the accessory minerals take place. The subsequent grinding steps guarantee uniform particle size distributions, which are absolutely essential to many applications.

In this way, natural stones yield high-performance fillers which, thanks to their particle shape, size and structure, guarantee uniquely improved characteristics in applications involving paints, varnishes, adhesives and construction applications, and often on very attractive terms. This is why we like to call them “functional fillers.”

Further processing steps

However, there is still a very long way to go before exhausting all the possibilities. With certain products, thermal processing steps or chemical deposition processes follow, which lead to modifications of the mineral structure or to an additional cleaning, and then ultimately to changed functionalities.

Certain natural as well as some modified mineral products can then be selectively surface treated in order to achieve improved bonding in the various binding systems.

Products

The following products are particularly suitable for use in paints and varnishes, adhesives and in construction applications:

Natural fillers

Mineral groupDesignationPropertiesFunctionalities/applications
SilicatesKaolinLamellar, natural and calcinated types; delaminated, ultrafine to coarse, plastic, soft Mohs hardness 2-2.5, some types with quartz content of approx. 0.1 % by weightTiO2-extender, calcinated as matting agent, improvement of edge use, crack bridging, for satin to matte finishes, especially for aqueous formulations, increased coverage, good flow properties; best for decorative paints, but also for dispersion adhesives
SilicatesTalcLamellar, very white, fine to coarse types, color-neutral, plastic, very soft Mohs hardness 1Matting agent, improvement of edge use, crack bridging, particularly suitable for formulations containing non-polar solvents, supports hydrophobic properties; improves wet abrasion resistance, for both industrial varnishes and dispersion paints
SilicatesMicaLamellar, very high aspect ratio, elastic, relatively soft Mohs hardness 2.5-3Low oil absorption, crack bridging, reinforcement, barrier effect, improvement of wet abrasion resistance, suitable for glimmer effects, for dispersion paints and plasters, for corrosion-protection paints
SilicatesWollastoniteAcicular, aspect ratio up to 1:9Strengthening, reinforcement, crack bridging
SilicatesDiatomaceous earthNaturally and flux-calcinated, large spec. surfacesStrong matting agent (flux-calcinated), increased abrasion resistance, for decorative paints
SilicatesNepheline syeniteCorpuscular, chemically inertLow refractive index, therefore practically invisible in many resin systems, increased scratch resistance, for industrial varnishes
Silicon dioxideQuartzCorpuscular, chemically inert, hard Mohs hardness 7Sharp increase in abrasion resistance, weather resistant, surface-treated in corrosion protection applications
Silicon dioxideCristobaliteCorpuscular, chemically inert, hard (Mohs hardness 6.5), very white, color-neutralStable in exterior and industrial varnish applications, minimal need for binders, surface treated in corrosion protection applications
CarbonatesCalciteChalk, limestone, marble, corpuscular, cream colored to pure white, Mohs hardness 3Optimization of packing density, very cost-effective, minimal need for binders, buffering properties in basic systems, for dispersion paints, dispersion adhesives and many more
CarbonatesDolomiteWhite, color-neutralOptimization of packing density, cost-effective, minimal need for binders, for decorative colors
OxidesMicaceous iron oxideLamellar, chemically inert, high density, gray metallic shine, Mohs hardness 6-6.5Passive corrosion protection pigment, micronized as Zn-dust substitute, effect pigment
SulfatesBarium sulfateCorpuscular, chemically inert, high density, whiteMinimal need for binder, high fill content possible, good coverage, especially for industrial varnishes
SulfatesGypsumCorpuscular, chemically inert, Mohs hardness 2Low in heavy metals, filler for construction materials and adhesives
SulfatesAnhydriteCorpuscular, chemically inert, whiteFiller for adhesives
Mineral mixturesClay Mostly lamellar, basic color white to earth tones, chemically inertPartially very plastic, cost-effective filler, also for wood varnishes
Mineral mixturesSlateLamellar, basic color beige-gray to grayUV protection in bitumen, sound absorbing, very cost-effective
Mineral mixturesGreenschistLamellar to corpuscular, basic color greenCost-effective, sound absorbing

Synthetic Fillers

Mineral groupDesignation/propertiesPropertiesFunctionalities/applications
SilicatesGlass beadsIdeally round, very smooth surfaces, amorphous, color-neutralenable very smooth surfaces, increased scratch resistance, very minimal influence on viscosity, amorphous; surface-modified types display better incorporation in binder systems, minimally abrasive due to grain shape, minimal dulling, particularly suited to wood varnishes
SilicatesHollow glass beadsIdeally round, very smooth surfaces, amorphous, color-neutralSignificant weight reduction, improved insulation properties, in various pressure stabilities, for lightweight construction systems
SilicatesLightweight fillersCorpuscular or round, hollow interior, light gray or cream coloredSignificant weight reduction, improved insulation properties, in various pressure stabilities, for heat and sound dampening, among others
CarbonatesPrecipitated calcium carbonateCorpuscular, very white, color-neutral, grain size controllableHigh coverage, tight grain distribution curves, TiO2 extender, very white, also available in pharmaceutical grade, for dispersion paints
SulfatesPrecipitated barium sulfateCorpuscular, very white, color-neutral, chemically inertHigh coverage, tight grain distribution curves, chemically inert, TiO2 extender, minimal need for binders, for industrial varnishes
Oxides/hydroxidesAluminum oxideVery white, very hard (Mohs hardness 9)Improved abrasion resistance, for flooring systems
Oxides/hydroxidesAluminum hydroxideVery white, chemically inert, color-neutralFlame retardant
Mineral powder

Service & Support

Contact

BASSERMANN minerals

Dipl.-Ing. Adrian Zanki
Department Manager Industrial Minerals & Functional Fillers

+49 621 / 1501-132
a.zanki@bassermann.de