IMCD UK Announces Distribution Agreement for Expancel® Microspheres from Nouryon
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IMCD UK is proud to announce its new role as a distributor of Expancel® microspheres from Nouryon, effective July 1st, 2024. This strategic partnership will see IMCD UK delivering Expancel® to key markets through their Advanced Materials, Industrial Solutions, and Coatings & Construction business groups.
An Innovation in Material Science
Expancel® microspheres represent a pioneering advancement in thermoplastic microspheres. These unique microspheres can expand up to 60 times their original size without increasing weight, providing significant benefits in terms of weight reduction, cost efficiency, and product performance. Over the past four decades, Expancel® has become integral to a wide range of products across various industries, enhancing everything from automotive components to food packaging.
Expancel® Microspheres in More Detail
Expancel® microspheres are small spheres consisting of a polymer shell encapsulating a gas. When heated, the gas inside causes the internal pressure to build, softening the thermoplastic shell, massively increasing the volume of the microspheres.
- Thermoplastics: e.g. shoe soles, profiles, hoses, sheets, cables
- Thermosets: e.g. cultured marble, putties, model-making board
- Coatings: e.g. paint, cool roof coatings, printing ink, leather
- Board
- Adhesives
- Sealants and underbody coatings
- Technical textiles and nonwovens
- Modelling clay, food packaging and others
Expancel® microspheres deliver a wide range of benefits such as cost-reduction, reduced density, closed cells, elasticity, compressibility, adhesion, and surface modification.
They can be used as blowing agents in various matrices, with expansion temperatures ranging from 80 to 230°C, allowing for the selection of an optimal grade for each application. Additionally, they serve as lightweight fillers with extremely low density. The standard expanded microspheres (Expancel® DE(T) and Expancel® WE) have densities as low as 25 kg/m³.
They can also be delivered in different sizes with the expanded microspheres varying between 20 and 120 μm.
Further, Expancel® microspheres are highly resilient, easily compressible, and capable of regaining their original volume, making them ideal for shock-absorbent materials and for use in mixtures that require multiple loading and unloading cycles.
The range of Expancel® microspheres:
- Expancel® DU – Dry, unexpanded microspheres
- Expancel® WU – Wet, unexpanded microspheres
- Expancel® MB – Masterbatch, unexpanded microspheres mixed with a carrier
- Expancel® SL – Slurry, unexpanded microspheres dispersed in water
- Expancel® DE(T) – Dry, unexpanded microspheres
- Expancel® WE – Wet, unexpanded microspheres
- Expancel® FG – Microspheres for food packaging applications.
Expancel® Microspheres’ Sustainability Credentials
Expancel® microspheres offer a sustainable solution with significant benefits across various applications. In warm climates, they can reduce cooling energy consumption by over 40% when applied in a coating to a building roof. Additionally, they enhance elastomeric cool roof coatings’ durability, thermal insulation and waterproofing properties.
Their unique ability to expand up to 60 times their volume reduces transportation costs and emissions through on-site expansion systems.
And, in the automotive industry, these microspheres help create lightweight, durable coatings that cut fuel consumption and extend vehicle lifespan.
Overall, Expancel® microspheres contribute to sustainability by optimising performance and efficiency.
Expancel® Microspheres will be Available for Three of IMCD’s Business Groups:
- Advanced Materials: Expancel® microspheres contribute to the development of lightweight composites, high-performance elastomers, and innovative polymers. Their ability to reduce density without compromising strength makes them ideal for a variety of applications.
- Industrial Solutions: For industrial applications, Expancel® microspheres are utilised in manufacturing processes to create products with improved surface textures, enhanced flexibility, and superior insulation properties.
- Coatings & Construction: Expancel® microspheres offer exceptional properties for cool roof coatings, elastomeric coatings, and other construction materials. Their inclusion enhances solar reflectance, elasticity, and durability while reducing material weight and overall costs.
What This Means for IMCD UK Customers
The inclusion of Expancel® in IMCD UK’s product portfolio represents a significant enhancement for their customers. Manufacturers and product developers will benefit from the proven advantages of Expancel® microspheres, including reduced weight, lower costs, and superior performance. This partnership also underscores IMCD UK’s commitment to providing solutions that drive innovation and sustainability in the industries IMCD UK serve.
Expancel® microspheres is a product with unique properties and is a testament to continuous innovation, with a record of contributing to the development of more sustainable and efficient products.
Read more from IMCD here.
