Application Directions of Nano Calcium Carbonate
Definition and Basic Concepts
Nano calcium carbonate refers to ultrafine calcium carbonate powder with a particle size between 1-100 nanometers. It is not just a simple refinement of ordinary calcium carbonate, but at this scale, the material exhibits unique small size effects, quantum size effects, surface effects, and macroscopic quantum tunneling effects, resulting in a qualitative change in physical and chemical properties.
Ordinary light calcium carbonate (particle size about 1-3 microns) and heavy calcium carbonate (particle size>1 micron) are mainly used as fillers. Nano calcium carbonate, due to its nano properties, exhibits excellent toughness, reinforcement, thixotropy, transparency, glossiness, and other aspects, making it a functional nanomaterial.
Core application areas
In the plastic industry, application scenarios include PVC profiles, pipes, wire and cable sheaths, rolled films, modification of engineering plastics (PP, PE, PA, PC, etc.), automotive parts, etc. Surface modified nano calcium carbonate has good compatibility with resin, which can improve the rigidity, toughness, bending strength, thermal deformation temperature, and dimensional stability of plastics, improve processing rheological properties, reduce resin dosage, and lower costs. For example, in the production of high-end PVC profiles, adding modified nano calcium carbonate can increase the bending strength of the profiles by more than 25% and increase the hot deformation temperature by 10-15 ℃.
In the rubber industry, application scenarios include tires, hoses, tapes, oil seals, automotive parts, etc., suitable for natural rubber, nitrile, butadiene styrene and other mixed rubber compounds. It has a good semi reinforcing effect, which can improve the processing performance of rubber, enhance the elongation, tensile strength, and tear strength of products, reduce the rubber content or partially replace expensive white fillers such as titanium dioxide and white carbon black, and reduce costs. Commonly used in tires for areas with low stress such as sidewall, ply rubber, and airtight layer rubber.
In the coatings and ink industry, it is suitable for environmentally friendly coatings, high-end topcoats, etc. It can enhance the coverage, glossiness, transparency, quick drying, stability, and scrub resistance of coatings, and play a reinforcing and anti settling role. As well as offset printing ink, gravure printing ink, etc., it can improve the ink's body structure, viscosity, and printing adaptability, making the printing dot complete, the surface smooth, and suitable for high-speed printing.
In the sealant and adhesive industry, it is used for sealing structural adhesives such as silicone, polyurethane, epoxy, and building adhesives. It can accelerate the cross-linking reaction of the adhesive, improve the system's thixotropy and dimensional stability, enhance the bonding strength, heat resistance, and aging resistance, and make the surface of the adhesive bright and delicate.
In the pharmaceutical and food industries, with good biocompatibility and degradability, it can be used as a drug carrier, bone repair material, hemostatic material, etc. It can also be used as a food additive for calcium supplementation, acidity regulation, anti caking, applied to milk powder, beverages, health products, high calcium biscuits, etc. Particles below 300nm can be directly absorbed by the human body.
Development Trends and Summary
High end and functionalization: With technological advancements, the application of nano calcium carbonate in high-end fields such as new energy materials (such as plastic modification of battery casings) and biomedical materials continues to expand.
Green and low-carbon: In the CCUS field, microreactor continuous mineralization technology can convert CO ₂ in industrial waste gas into nano calcium carbonate, achieving a win-win situation of emission reduction and resource utilization.
Customization: Customize the crystal form, particle size, and surface modification of nano calcium carbonate according to different application scenarios to meet specific performance requirements.
Nano calcium carbonate is a model of upgrading traditional inorganic non-metallic materials through nanotechnology. It has transformed from a simple and inexpensive filler to a functional nanomaterial that can significantly enhance downstream product performance. Its core value lies in its irreplaceable role in strengthening, toughening, improving rheological and optical properties through nanotechnology and surface modification, and it is widely used in various important fields of the national economy.