Ground calcium carbonate and precipitated calcium carbonate products serve as functional fillers in plastic and rubber applications. Calcium carbonates are the major engineered filler used in plastics with more than half of the total mineral consumption. Calcium carbonate is widely used as in polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyolefin, polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE) and unsaturated polyester resins applications. Calcium carbonate is used for its excellent optical properties, ability to improve impact strength, role as a processing aid and ability to replace expensive plastic resins.
Particle size plays a critical role in the selection of calcium carbonate materials. Consideration must be given to the impact particle size will have on physical properties, as well as processing characteristics (i.e., rheology).
Mississippi Lime provides calcium carbonate products a across a broad spectrum of particle sizes. The ground calcium carbonate products CalCarb® AC325 and CalCarb® AC3 provide both either a 325 mesh or 3 micron particle size options. Magnum Fill® SD, Magnum Fill® M or Magnum Fill® SDL as well as Magnum Gloss® SD and Magnum Gloss® M precipitated calcium carbonates provide particle sizing options ranging from 1.5 to 0.4 microns.