The Properties of Mica Pigment Make it Worth the Uses

The groups of minerals that have the similar physical and chemical properties are termed as mica. The micas are silicate minerals, known as sheet silicates as they are produced from distinct layers. These are light, soft, and the sheet and minute particles are fairly flexible. Mica pigment powders are heat-resistant and don’t conduct heat. Basically, the most commonly used mica minerals, among the 37 different types, are black biotite, purple lepidolite, brown phlogopite, and clear muscovite. Furthermore, due to the non-toxic silicate mineral property, mica has been used for centuries. Most mined mica claims to have blue or green hues, but for making a different color appearance, iron oxides and other additives are added to it. Every so often, heat-treating is used to raise the metallic appearance of the mica.

Mica pigment belongs to quite a large group of minerals that are used for different applications varying upon the advanced properties that are compatible with various applications. Let us understand the physical, chemical, electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties of mica pigment.

• Physical – mica is luminous, optically flat, easily split into thin films, colorless in thin sheets, and elastic and incompressible.
• Chemical – mica is a hydrous silicate of aluminum compound that also contains potassium, magnesium, sodium, lithium, fluorine, and bits of several other elements. It is static to the action of acids, water, alkalies, bases, conventional solvents, and oil that remains unchanged even in the atmospheric action.
• Electrical – mica has high-class blend of uniform dielectric steadiness, enormous dielectric power, high capacitance stability, high Q factor and low power loss, low temperature coefficient, and high electrical resistance.
• Thermal – it is highly fire resistant, non-flammable, incombustible, infusible, and can resist in a temperature up to 1000-degrees Celsius or 1832-degrees Fahrenheit. Since, it has great thermal stability, and low heat conductivity, the thermal properties can vary depending upon the type and variety of the mica been used.
• Mechanical – mica is widely used as it is highly hard, good tensile strength, elastic, and flexible as well. It has an excellent density power, so that, it can be machined, die-punched, or hand cut.