The development of the hollow glass microballoon began in the '50 s, according to world patent database statistics, more than 20 years, both at home and abroad relating to the hollow glass microballoon invention has more than 50 (most of the basic patent).Half of them for the preparation of the hollow glass beads and the other half for its application. Nearly a decade involving patent less than one-third of the preparation of hollow glass beads, the remaining two-thirds for the application. Visible, hollow glass beads has entered the stage of application development.
Hollow glass microsphere, the earliest is mainly used in space industry, defense industry and other cutting-edge science and technology. With the development of science and technology and the realization of the hollow glass beads industrialized mass production, as well as the application of hollow glass bead extraction technology of fly ash hollow glass beads material has become a low cost, rich resources of new materials, widely used in thermal insulation fireproof materials, advanced insulation materials, emulsion explosive, composite materials, petrochemical, chemical additives, such as military, general other technical areas. After 2000 , the abroad and targeted has carried on the related technology development, further broaden the hollow glass microballoon application in the field of high-end products, such as the United States of F117A stealth aircraft has adopted the carbonyl ferrite single core ball; Use the narrow heart glass microballoon filled polymer synthesis of deep-sea high buoyancy material has been applied in submarine.
Production status at home and abroad
Internationally leading technology and the ability to mass production and operation of
hollow glass microspheres famous enterprises: American Potters Company, 3M
Company, Emerson & Cuming Company, the Belgian company Glaverbel, Pittsburgh
Corning Company, Philadephia Quartz Company.The fly ash hollow glass microspheres
franchise businesses have Hargreaves PFA Marketing Ltd, most notably the United
States and Belgium Potters company Glaverbel company, they can be mass production
of hollow glass beads, high refractive index glass beads and solid beading and so
many different series, uses beads products, annual production of 100,000 t or
more.Japan, the largest output in Asia, but the Japanese domestic demand for large
hollow glass microspheres, still need to import large quantities each year. After 20
years of efforts of scientific research personnel, research and development of hollow
glass microspheres has been some progress.
Steel Horse Mine Hospital developed high-performance hollow glass microspheres product has been fully put on the market.