Hollow Glass Microspheres iM16K

Detailed Information

• They can reduce the final part weight by up to 15% or more without compromising mechanical integrity.
• Faster cooling times for melt-processed polymers (injection molding and extrusion), typically improving cycle times by 15-25%.
• Improved dimensional stability, reduced warping and sink marks.

3M™ Glass Bubbles iM16K will change the way you think about plastic parts. With a density of 0.46 g/cm³ and an excellent balanced crush strength of 16,000 psi, this product provides an additive with an outstanding strength-to-density ratio for injection molding, extrusion, and sheet molding compounds. They can reduce final part weight by 15% or more without affecting mechanical integrity.

Take Action Now to Reduce Part Weight

3M™ Glass Bubbles iM16K is consistently committed to lightweighting, continuously optimizing production processes and end-product quality. To this end, injection-molded parts can be reduced in weight by 15% or more. Furthermore, SMC manufacturers have already produced molded parts in the automotive industry with weight reductions of up to 40% – a significant reduction that has revolutionized lightweighting in the industry. These substantial weight reductions do not come at the expense of quality. In fact, after using 3M Glass Bubbles iM16K, parts can still maintain strength, surface aesthetics, and mechanical integrity.

Increase Production Output
Shorten cycle times by 15-25% or more while ensuring the critical mechanical properties of the end product. What's the secret? Accelerated cooling. Typically, cooling accounts for the majority of the mold cycle time. By using glass bubbles to reduce thermal mass, the melt cooling speed of parts is accelerated, significantly shortening cycle times. Fillers like talc and calcium carbonate may be lower in cost but actually increase part weight. For every 1% by weight of 3M Glass Bubbles iM16K added to the formulation, the part temperature can be reduced by 1.1°C. Shorter production cycles help customers manufacture more parts per minute, hour, day, and year.

Supporting Sustainable Development
Our 3M Glass Bubbles iM16K has always contributed to environmental sustainability. Due to their high strength-to-weight ratio, glass bubbles are an ideal choice for lightweighting materials such as plastics and composites. According to a single-point carbon footprint study conducted by 3M on a category of glass bubbles commonly used in plastic manufacturing, the addition of 3M™ Glass Bubbles to injection-molded parts has a neutral impact on carbon footprint.