Construction Materials

Construction materials are one of the largest and most important areas of application for the FRILITE^® P-Series. Conventionally expanded perlite has been used in construction materials for many years because of weight reduction or insulation purposes. However, conventionally expanded perlite never became widely accepted in construction materials due to the sensitivity of the material to mechanical stress in the mixing and applying processes and because of its undesirable absorbency. The FRILITE^® P-Series, however, offers all these needed characteristics and more thanks to their glazed, closed-cell surface.

Advantages

• Best strength-to-density ratio: The FRILITE^® microspheres can be optimized for each application regarding strength and density. The highest strengths can be combined with the lightest bulk densities by selecting suitable raw materials, which guarantees minimal abrasion, especially with respect to demanding mixing or pumping processes.
• Robust against mechanical stress: Due to its robustness, depending on the application, the FRILITE^® P-Series can achieve significantly higher yields (m³ plaster per t perlite) compared to conventionally expanded perlites despite the higher bulk weights, because much more void volume remains enclosed despite the strain they are exposed to. 
• Hydrophobic: Especially when manufacturing in wet processes such as in the production of fibre cement, the minimal water absorption is an advantage because it contributes significantly to saving drying energy.
• Light
• Outstanding insulation values with lowest thermal conductivity values: Compared to other lightweight fillers, like foam glass granulates, they may offer lower price and better insulation values (due to lower weight per volume), even if the price per weight might be higher. Like this, purely mineral insulating plasters and other powder products, such as masonry mortar or screed insulation, with very low thermal conductivities can be produced.
• Recyclable: The purely mineral nature of the FRLITE^® microspheres ensures their complete and uncomplicated recyclability. When buildings are demolished, the material can be disposed of e.g. with masonry and sanitary ceramics, as pure construction waste and or reprocessed and does not have to be laboriously sorted and disposed of / landfilled as hazardous waste at high costs.

Applications

• Lightweight concrete formulations or masonry bricks (as well as cavity fillings as in the brick matrix)
• Moulded parts
  • drywall panels based on gypsum or cement
  • particularly light plaster-based panels and acoustic panels
  • fire protection
  • fibre cement panels
  • shaped profiles of any kind
  • other design/ornamental elements, regardless of the type of binding agent

Tags: recycling, construction, building, advantages, absorption, insulation, weight, perlite spheres, cenospheres, microspheres, Construction materials