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general physical properies and typical chemical analysis
Hess' high-purity non-crystalline silica products are an exceptional fit for filler and extender applications.
Fine-grade pumice is used as a tread enhancer for winter and all-weather tires to provide grip in snow and ice.
Get a Sample
Call for a sample of the brightest and hardest Amorphous Aluminum Silica commercially available in the world. It is near-white in color, neutral in pH, non-toxic, non-hazardous and has great hardness for outstanding durablility and low oil consumption.
1-800-767-4701 or email salesmgr@hesspumice.com
Functional fillers & extenders
Hess Pumice Products manufactures a line of micronized, non-hazardous amorphous silica products as functional fillers and extenders for paints, coatings, rubber, and plastics.
Non-Crystalline Silica (NCS) Functional Fillers
Because crystalline silica (CS) is now classified as a carcinogenic (and a cause of silicosis), manufacturers who have traditionally relied on an abundant supply of crystallline silica for their products are facing increasing pressures in regards to environmental concerns, health issues, and workplace rules.
Alternatives for CS have been few and often hard to source—until now. Hess Pumice produces a Non-Crystalline Silica (NCS) with all the beneficial features of CS without the health risks. Our product is an Amorphous Aluminum Silicate, including nearly 80% SiO2 (see Typical Chemical Analysis, below).
Our NCS products have a lower density than CS and cannot replace CS on a drop-in basis, rather, NCS must replace CS—or any other filler—on a volume basis, rather than by weight. This results in higher bulking values and higher yields per pound of NCS product verses CS product.
Gloss and sheen control with NCS is, in general, equal to and usually better than CS products. Hiding power can also be improved using NCS products. Additionally, NCS products work well as a replacement for Zeospheres in coatings.
Our NCS Products
Hess Pumice provides six Non-Crystalline Silica products developed specifically as funtional fillers for the paint/coatings and rubber/plastics industries. The grades are: NCS-3, NCS-5, NCS-8, NCS-10, NCS-12, and NCS-15 (with the numbers indicating the average particle size in micron).
Our amorphous aluminum silicate products are non-hazardous (crystallline silica free - to the detectable limit of .05%), inert, near white, pH of 7.2, with unit weights (loose) ranging from approximately 1.6 kg/gallon for the finer grades up to approximately 3 kg/gallon for the coarser grades.
Our NCS products provide outstanding scrub, burnish, and stain resistance properties due to the hardness of the particles (6.1 Mohs hardness).
Hegman results start at approximately 5 for the coarser grades. Oil absorption ranges between 30% to 40% depending on the grade. These products are also known for their outstanding durabililty & weathering properties, including no known instance of frosting or chalking after several years exposed to the elements. NCS grades are also used in sheen control applications.
Properties for Coatings |
|
| Hegman | 5 to 8 |
| Oil Absorption % | 34 to 40 |
| Bulking Value | 0.05 |
| Moisture | less than one percent |
Applications
Some of the applications for the Hess Pumice Non-Crystalline Silica fillers include:
—Industrial Coatings
—Architectural Paints
—Wood Stains
—Exterior Coatings
—Rubber Compounds
—Plastics/Fiberglass Compounds
—Epoxies/Silicones
HESS NCS: general physical properties |
|
| pH: | 7.2 |
| Radioactivity: | 0 |
| Softening Point: | 900 degrees C |
| Mohs: | 6.1 |
| Crystalline SiO2: | None Detected |
| HMIS: | 0 |
HESS NCS: Typical chemical analysis |
|
| SiO2: | 79.6% |
| AI203: | 13.9 |
| H2O (bound): | 0.05 |
| K: | 1.6 |
| Na: | 1.5 |
| Fe: | 0.9 |
| Ca: | 0.8 |
| MgO: | 0.5 |
| TiO2: | 0.5 |
Availability and Packaging
The Hess Pumice NCS products are shipped world-wide with standard packaging being in 20 kg poly-lined bags, 50 lb poly-lined paper bags, 500 kg bulk bags, and 2000 lb bulk bags.
