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Lighter. Brighter. Cooler. Smarter.
Hollow glass microspheres for density
reduction, solar reflectivity and more.
3M™ Glass Bubbles for Paints and Coatings
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From single family homes to large industrial plants, protective industrial paints and coating solutions are the first line of protection for the buildings that shelter our businesses and lives. And weathering the elements year after year – while keeping down initial and long-term costs – requires the right materials.
3M™ Glass Bubbles provide a high performance, cost-effective alternative to conventional paint fillers in a variety of industrial paints and specialty industrial coatings. These hollow glass microspheres are used as a density-reducing additive solution, helping lower formulation weight and viscosity, and contribute a variety of functional benefits ranging from scratch resistance to solar reflectivity.
- Acrylic and industrial latex paints
- Solar reflective coatings for roofs
- Spackling, caulks, adhesives and more
- Epoxy coatings
Available in a wide range of strengths, densities and particle sizes, 3M glass bubbles can help meet the performance and processing demands of your application and paint challenges. View our Selection Guide to help identify the grade of 3M glass bubbles with the optimal balance of properties for your formulation:
> 3M™ Microspheres for Paints & Coatings (PDF, 841 KB)
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Boost performance
The high strength, low density and unique physical properties of 3M glass bubbles can provide a number of advantages compared to paints and coatings formulated with conventional, irregularly-shaped fillers:
- Improved abrasion resistance (depending on product grade)
- Reduced thermal expansion and shrinkage in coating agent
- Uniform spherical shape helps create improved flow, for efficient processing and easier application
Keep down costs
From day one, the use of industrial paints and coating solutions formulated with 3M glass bubbles can reduce your cost per gallon while helping to control maintenance and operating costs.
- Lower cost per volume than many conventional fillers
- Enables higher paint filler loading, reducing use of expensive resins
- Solar reflective coatings help maintain cooler inside temperatures, for lower cooling costs
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Solar reflective coatings
Cool isn't just a matter of comfort. Effective solar management – or the lack of it – can have a significant impact on your bottom line. Testing shows that solar reflective coatings for roofs formulated with heat reflective paint additives such as 3M glass bubbles can offer a number of performance and cost benefits compared to typical "cool roof" coatings.
- Higher total solar reflectance
- Higher thermal emissivity (ability to give up heat)
- Lower inside temperatures
- Reduced cooling costs
In addition to their traditional use in building products for energy conservation, solar reflective coatings are expanding into new and exciting fields such as transportation.
Support
3M glass bubbles are supported by our global sales, technical and customer service resources. Contact us for more information, including formulation assistance or questions about a specific application.
Call 09 477 4040 (8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. NZST)
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