3M™ Glass Bubbles are lightweight/high-strength hollow glass spheres, used as alternatives to conventional fillers in a variety of paints and specialty coatings, including spackling, caulks, adhesives, roof coatings and more.
These versatile additives are widely used to reduce formulation weight and lower viscosity. But they can also improve abrasion resistance and reduce thermal expansion. Eliminate shrinkage. Provide a better surface for sanding. And allow you to achieve higher filler loadings, to displace high-cost resins – without diminishing product performance.
More About 3M Glass Bubble Technology
Products
3M™ Glass Bubbles are available in a wide range of strengths, densities and average particle sizes, to meet various performance and processing requirements. The following chart lists the 3M Glass Bubbles most commonly used in paints and specialty coatings formulations.
| Product |
Target Crush Strength (90% survival, psi) |
True Density (g/cc) |
Particle Size (microns, by volume) |
| Distribution |
| 10th% |
50th% |
90th% |
Effective top size 95th% |
| K1 |
250 |
.125 |
30 |
65 |
110 |
120 |
| S15 |
300 |
15 |
25 |
55 |
90 |
95 |
| S22 |
400 |
.22 |
20 |
36 |
60 |
75 |
| K20 |
500 |
.37 |
25 |
55 |
95 |
120 |
| S32 |
2000 |
.32 |
20 |
40 |
75 |
80 |
| K37 |
3000 |
.37 |
20 |
45 |
80 |
85 |
| S38HS |
5500 |
.38 |
15 |
40 |
75 |
85 |
| K46 |
6000 |
.46 |
12 |
40 |
70 |
80 |
| S60 |
10,000 |
.60 |
15 |
30 |
55 |
65 |
| S60HS |
18,000 |
.60 |
11 |
30 |
50 |
60 |
View List of Typical 3M Glass Bubble Applications
Buy now at Shop3M.com
In the U.S., industrial and professional users can buy sample sizes (1 gallon containers) and small boxes (100 lbs – 125 lbs) of 3M™ Glass Bubbles online at Shop3M.com. To place an order for a larger quantity, contact 3M Customer Service at 800-367-8905, or Contact Us.
About 3M™ Glass Bubbles
Engineered additives for a new generation of lightweight, high performance paints and coatings
3M™ Glass Bubbles are high strength, low density engineered additives used in applications from specialty architectural and industrial paints to lightweight spackling, caulks, adhesives and roof coatings. Manufacturers use 3M glass bubbles for their ability to help reduce weight, improve reflectivity, reduce shrinkage, enhance surface appearance, reduce overall material costs and many other product enhancements.
The Shape of Things to Come
The spherical shape of 3M glass bubbles gives these products a number of unique attributes that are of particular interest in a wide variety of emerging applications. These benefits include: higher filler loading, lower viscosity/improved flow and reduced shrinkage and warpage.
This spherical shape also helps 3M glass bubbles blend more readily into compounds, and makes them adaptable to a variety of production processes. And they produce stable voids, which results in low thermal conductivity and a low dielectric constant.
Composition
3M Glass Bubbles are made from water-resistant and chemically stable soda-lime borosilicate glass, similar to the material used to make laboratory beakers.
This composition provides excellent water resistance, to create more stable emulsions. They are also non-combustible and non-porous, so they do not absorb resin. And, their low alkalinity gives 3M glass bubbles compatibility with most resins, stable viscosity and long shelf life. The bubbles can be treated with a variety of functional coatings to further enhance their performance in several resin systems.
3M™ Glass Bubbles Applications
3M™ Glass Bubbles are used in a broad range of specialty paints and coatings to help reduce weight, improve product performance and reduce resin demand. The following is a partial list of the applications for 3M glass bubbles in the Paints and Coatings industry that have either been fully commercialized or that are currently under development by our customers:
Architectural and Industrial Paints: High-build/low-slump coatings; lower thermally conductive finishes; anti-condensation paint for high humidity rooms; solar reflective paints.
Roofing: Low density roof coatings; reflective roof coatings.
Construction Materials: Sealants; adhesives; mastics; caulks; lightweight spackling compound; lightweight taping compounds.
Automotive: Auto body putty; lightweight body sealants.
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