Nanoscale PPC

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Precipitated Calcium Carbonate (PCC) has been widely used for a number of years as a filler material in papermaking, coatings, plastics and agriculture. Nanoscale PPC (NPCC), also known as ultrafine PCC,  displays a number of unique properties compared to PCC and is finding application as a functional filler and extender in plastic compounds in the plastics, rubber, coating, papermaking, paint, and printing ink industries. It’s most prominent current use is for improving the mechanical performance of polycomposites. Main markets and applications for NanoPCC are:

Automotive

NPCC is being used in the automotive industry for underbody coating and seam or gap filling. It is utilized due to the following properties:

• Easy dispersion into the formulation

• Excellent balance of anti-slump and extrusion properties             

• Good viscosity stability with time           

• High yield value and low high-shear viscosity (pseudo-plasticity)

• Fast recovery from high shear application (thixotropy)

NanoPCC is also utilized in automotive tyres as a high strength reinforcing filler.

Adhesives and Sealants

Due to the nanoscaling of PCC a true thixotropic structure can be built in a sealant or other moderately to highly filled product in which control of viscosity, sag, slump and other rheological properties is needed. NanoPCC acts as a semi-reinforcing filler, for strong physical performance. PVC plastisols, urethanes, silicones, polysulfides, and silylated polyethers are some of the types of high performance, long-lived automotive and construction sealants that use nano PCCs. They disperse readily into the sealant mix and enable thecontrol and optimization of both pre-cure rheological properties as well as  tensile properties of the cured sealant.

PVCs

In rigid polyvinyl chloride, nano PCCs can act as impact modifiers, providing the impact strength, even at very low temperatures, needed for PVC window profiles (which are used to form the frame of vinyl windows). When formulating with a nano PCC, replacing a larger sized ground calcium carbonate (GCC), the amount of expensive acrylic or chlorinated polyethylene (CPE) impact modifier used can be substantially reduced, saving money. Nano PCCs also give the highest gloss and best surface finish to PVC window profile extrusions.

Printing Inks

Nano PCCs are also used in lithographic or offset inks. In highly filled litho inks, they can serve as the main rheological additive and cost-reducing filler. In lightly filled offset inks, they can extend other more expensive thickeners, as well as replace oils and varnishes. Nano PCCs thicken PVC plastisol silk screen inks. Gravure inks need very low abrasion fillers. Small particle-sized PCC is excellent here.

Other uses include:

• High strength reinforcement of rubber

• Detackification and mold release for thin gauge surgical and other medical gloves

• Nucleating agent in emulsion polymerization

• Carrier for catalysts, peroxides, fragrances

• Powder flow control additive for acrylic modifiers and other sticky products.

  PVC electric cable and wire, PVC building Materials and PVC plastic granule.

• Fortifying beverages such as cow’s milk and soy milk.

Main producers of NanoPCC are based in China. Products incorporating the nanomaterial include Calofort S, Calofort U, Multifex MM Pcc, Ultra Pflex, Calprec PR-2E and OMYA Ground Calcium Carbonate Filler.

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