Functional minerals in Plastics

KMI is a specialist in the processing and micronization of high aspect ratio minerals. The product range for plastics applications includes Micaceous Iron Oxide and Wollastonite. These minerals have a high aspect ratio, either platy or acicular, and they heavily influence the crucial properties of thermoplastic polymers, such as stiffness, heat distortion and scratch resistance.

KMI’s high aspect ratio micronized minerals for plastics implement cost-effective solutions for critical performance properties of thermoplastic polymers, such as polyethylene, polypropylene or polyamide. KMI’s functional minerals add value to your compounds!

MIOX^® – a new Opportunity for Polypropylene Compounds

A widely unknown mineral in plastics is Micaceous Iron Oxide, a unique functional filler. The use of KMI’s MIOX^® products in plastics applications is relatively new. Besides its lamellarity, the most valuable characteristics are its well-balanced effects on mechanical properties in plastic materials: UV and heat resistance, chemical inertness, as well as thermal conductivity. Depending on fineness, the compounds appear red-brown or black.

MIOX^® with its high density leads to heavier compounds compared with most standard mineral fillers, and is thus ideal to use in sound and vibration damper systems. The hardness of the mineral allows its use in wear resistance parts. The addition of even small dosages of MIOX^® leads to a higher thermal conductivity in the compound, thus enabling faster cycle times for injection moulding parts.

KMI – know-how for HAR Wollastonite

Wollastonite is an acicular mineral, which requires careful processing for the conservation of the aspect ratio, the length of the fine needles.

Premium raw material resources are secured to become a reliable and established supplier to the plastics industry. Brightness and purity are within the top segment, allowing food contact applications.

KMI’s specialties are the finest micronized grades with
d₅₀ = 2-12 µm. Even these grades have a unique aspect ratio from 7:1 to 20:1.

The hardness of the mineral allows high scratch resistance applications, the high aspect ratio leads to extraordinary stiffness and heat distortion temperature.