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Glass micro beads are minute and spherical particles which are very crucial in the modern road safety and industrial coating industries. When incorporated in road markings, they create retroreflectivity, which directs drivers during night. When used in the form of coating, they provide texture, abrasion resistance and decorative effects. Hebei Hezhen Industrial Co., Ltd. is a company that deals with crushing, processing and selling of non-metallic minerals such as glass beads and colored sand for coating applications.
How Glass Micro Beads Create Retroreflectivity
The main purpose of glass micro beads in road marking is to form retroreflectivity. When the headlights of a vehicle are projected over a road marking, the glass beads that make up the marking surface are used as small lenses. Light entering each bead bends around the front side, reflects off the back side of the bead and passes back to the source of light. This optic phenomenon causes the road marking to be visible and bright to the driver, even at a considerable distance. Painted road markings without glass beads are hardly visible at night. The spherical shape of the beads, the refractive index of the material and transparency of a glass bead determine the efficiency of retroreflectivity. Hebei Hezhen Industrial Co., Ltd. manufactures glass micro beads that are highly spheric and with a controlled refractive index to achieve the maximum performance of retroreflective.
Standards and Specifications for Road Marking Beads
The glass beads that are used in road marking are produced to very high international and national standards. Some typical specifications are EN 1423 and EN 1424 in Europe, AASHTO M247 in the United States, and KS L 2521 in Asia. These are standards that specify tolerable ranges of bead size distribution, refractive index, roundness and chemical durability. The beads are normally graded on the basis of size and various grades are applied to different applications. Bigger beads have initial high retroreflectivity and can wear out more quickly. The wear of the surface on which the marking is done exposes smaller beads, which maintain reflectivity in the long run. The majority of road marking specification mandates that a combination of bead size will be used to attain initial and long-term performance. Hebei Hezhen Industrial Co., Ltd. is under strict quality control in order to make its glass micro beads meet or even surpass these international specifications.
Application Methods for Maximum Performance
The manner in which glass micro beads are laid on road markings has great influence on the performance and durability of the road markings. Two main methods of application are possible. Drop-on application is a process that entails the application of beads onto the wet paint or thermoplastic right after the application. The beads are left partially settled in the coating due to the effects of gravity, and the upper half exposed to reflect headlights. This technique offers instant retroreflectivity. Premix application uses beads in the marking material prior to application. With wear and tear on the marking surface over time, more beads will be revealed, which offers permanence in reflectivity. A common approach in many high-performance road markings is to have larger drop-on beads for initial brightness, and smaller premix beads for long-term reflectivity. Hebei Hezhen Industrial Co., Ltd. also offers technical advice to assist customers in the right choice of bead sizes and application rates for their particular marking systems and traffic conditions.
Glass Beads for Industrial Coating Applications
In addition to the use of road markings, glass micro beads are involved in a very large number of industrial coating applications. Glass beads are used in the anti-slip floor coatings, deck and ramps to form a textured surface to provide traction even when wet. Glass beads are utilized as abrasives in marine applications to enhance abrasion resistance to sand, ice, and debris. Glass beads are used in the decorative sparkle and visual appeal of walls and facades in architectural coats. Glass beads also provide retroreflectivity in safety coatings for vehicles, signage, and personal protective equipment—similar to their use on roads. The refractive index, the optimum bead size, and the optimum loading level can vary with each application. Hebei Hezhen Industrial Co., Ltd. collaborates intimately with the coating manufacturers to provide glass beads that are designed to meet their formulation and performance needs.
Improving Durability and Wear Resistance
Road markings and industrial coatings should be able to endure such severe conditions as traffic abrasion, exposure to the weather, and chemical attack. Glass micro beads help in durability in a number of ways. The smooth, rigid glass beads have a greater resistance to wear as compared to the paint or the thermoplastic surrounding them. Glass beads are also used in thermoplastic road markings to control the flow and settling of the molten material when applying it. When chosen and used properly, glass beads will be permanently embedded in the marking, and be retro-reflective over the service life. Hebei Hezhen Industrial Co., Ltd. manufactures glass micro beads that are highly chemical resistant and have good bonding capacity with widely used road marking materials.
Glass micro beads play a critical role in the retroreflectivity of road marking and performance of industrial coating. These small spheres provide a big payoff, whether it comes to enhancing the safety of nighttime driving, or enhancing the texture and durability of floor coatings. Hebei Hezhen Industrial Co., Ltd. is happy to invite both domestic and foreign traders to cooperate with its company to negotiate trade, and to cooperate and seek mutual development. Having set up a factory in 2003 and company in 2015, it is well-established and able to provide glass micro beads to satisfy the strenuous needs of the road marking authorities and coating manufacturers across the globe.
