Calcium carbonate is an inorganic compound also known as limestone, marble, and others. It is neutral and generally insoluble in water but dissolves in hydrochloric acid. As one of the common substances on Earth, it is found in rocks such as aragonite, calcite, chalk, limestone, and marble, as well as being a primary component of animal skeletons or shells. Calcium carbonate serves as an important construction material and has extensive industrial applications, widely used in sectors like papermaking, metallurgy, glass, alkali production, rubber, pharmaceuticals, pigments, and organic chemical industries.

Rubber

Calcium carbonate is one of the earliest and most widely used fillers in the rubber industry. When added in large quantities to rubber products, it not only increases the product's volume but also reduces the cost by saving expensive natural or synthetic rubber. Nano-level ultrafine calcium carbonate, with its ultrafine and ultra-pure characteristics, effectively controls crystal form and particle size during production. Additionally, it undergoes surface modification, enabling it to form a spatial three-dimensional structure in rubber while maintaining excellent dispersibility, thereby enhancing the reinforcing effect of the material.

Papermaking

Calcium carbonate is mainly used as a filler in papermaking. Adding a large amount of calcium carbonate to paper can ensure a certain strength and whiteness, while reducing costs. The extensive use of calcium carbonate in the papermaking industry is based on the international shift from acidic papermaking processes to alkaline or neutral papermaking processes, which allows for the widespread use of inexpensive calcium carbonate instead of traditional talc and porcelain clay. Calcium carbonate as a papermaking filler has the following advantages: ① high whiteness; ② Looseness; ③ Durability; ④ Breathability; ⑤ Can be used as a supplement for titanium dioxide; ⑥ Low abrasion resistance; ⑦ Enhance flexibility; ⑧ Improve ink absorption performance; ⑨ Low UV absorption; ⑩ Can control combustibility.

Ink

In the paint and ink industry, calcium carbonate modified with stearic acid is used to prepare inks with good viscosity, good printing performance, and high stability. Fine particles are easily compatible with other raw materials, resulting in smooth prints, complete dots, strong coverage, and high glossiness. Heavy calcium as a filler can improve the glossiness and brightness of ink. Calcium carbonate can be used as a white pigment in coatings, serving as a skeleton. Calcium carbonate can also be used as a base pigment in the coating industry. Due to its white color, calcium carbonate is relatively cheaper in coatings compared to latex and solvents, and its fine particles can be evenly dispersed in coatings. Therefore, it is a widely used constitutional pigment. Due to the increasing awareness of environmental protection, water-based coatings have been widely used in the construction industry. As calcium carbonate is white, hydrophilic, and inexpensive, it has a wide range of application prospects.

Plastic

Calcium carbonate is widely used in filling resins such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymer (ABS), etc. Adding calcium carbonate has a certain effect on improving certain properties of plastic products to expand their application range. In plastic processing, they can reduce resin shrinkage, improve flow distortion, control viscosity, improve the stability of plastic product dimensions, increase the hardness and rigidity of plastic products, improve plastic processing performance, enhance the heat resistance of plastic products, improve plastic scattering, and reduce plastic product costs.

Cosmetics

Adding nano-sized calcium carbonate to cosmetics can make the product delicate and smooth, improving its performance and grade. Using it as an additive to make a setting powder can eliminate the brightness of the base powder, protect skin adhesion, and have moderate oil absorption and anti sweat effects. It can also be used as a smooth powder, which does not irritate the skin, has a uniform color, and has a certain degree of coverage. The current development trend of cosmetics at home and abroad is therapeutic, functional, and natural. Nano scale calcium carbonate is expected to be fully utilized in an increasing number of high-end cosmetics due to its compliance with food and pharmaceutical grade standards and meeting the special requirements of cosmetics.

Food

Calcium carbonate, as a food additive, should be added in small amounts, usually not exceeding 2%, to ensure the necessary intake of calcium for the human body. In certain foods such as chewing gum and chocolate, calcium carbonate is used as a fortifier to reduce costs and as a matrix material.

Building Decoration

Calcium carbonate plays an important role in concrete in the construction industry, not only reducing production costs, but also increasing the toughness and strength of products. Calcium carbonate is mainly used in the production process of fireproof ceilings, which can improve the whiteness, brightness, and fire resistance of the product. Pure and impurity free calcium carbonate is used in the floor tile industry to increase the whiteness and tensile strength of products, improve their toughness, and reduce production costs.

Breathable Membrane

Calcium carbonate material can be added as a breathable material to breathable membranes and is one of the important components in the production and processing of breathable membrane materials. Breathable membranes, also known as "waterproof breathable microporous membranes", are characterized by being breathable and impermeable. The breathable membrane is made of PE as a carrier, with a certain proportion of calcium carbonate added to form and stretched, giving it a unique, high-density distribution, and countless interconnected special structure of micropores.