• Mahesh (India)

Micropsheres For Auto Paints & Underbody Coatings

Mahesh (India) offers AkzoNobel brand of Expancel microspheres. These are small spherical plastic particles, and consist of a polymer sheet encapsulating a gas. When heated, the internal pressure from the gas increases and the thermoplastic shell softens, resulting in a dramatic increase of the volume of the microspheres. The gas remains inside the spheres. Capable of enabling cost reduction, reduced density, elasticity, compressibility, and adhesion, Expancel microspheres find use in automotive coatings where they improve the matting effect in a finely structured paint finish. Microspheres also reduce VOC emission in paints. By adding spheres, a part of the inorganic fillers can be replaced and thereby lower the needed solvent as a carrier of the binder and pigments. Paints with Expancel also achieve a high solid volume, shortens the drying time and provides good filling on uneven substrates. Expancel DU as well as pre-expanded Expancel DE is used as additives in plastisols for under body coatings and sealants. The purpose is to reduce the weight and maintain or improve the stone chip resistance of the coating. This comes with the elastic and compressible behaviour of the thermoplastic microspheres. The low moisture and water absorption of the microspheres contribute to a good protection and a good adhesion to the steel substrate.