On top of these three main performance improvements, Microperl® and OMicron® also bring additional unexpected benefits. These benefits are identified once the first trials are conducted — specifically failure propagation. Glass beads tend to stop failure propagation therefore increasing the durability of a part. Carmakers and automotive tier one suppliers unsurprisingly screen such advantages on exterior body panels (e.g.: fenders, tailgates, hoods, roof modules).
Because Sovitec glass beads are useful in both thermoplastics and thermosets, Mr. Juprelle has a good overview on the trend toward even more thermoplastic-based composites. He indeed confirmed a growing number of requests related to plastic composite applications. Overall, as a rough estimate, he rates 70% the share of glass beads will be utilized in plastic applications compared to 30% in thermosets. The other trend mentioned is the increasing interest towards the technical benefits of Microperl® and OMicron® from both plastic and thermoset processors and users. This increasing interest is linked to the current polymer applications running in the field for more than a decade now, which bring up new types of failures compared to those observed on traditional materials like metal and concrete. The aircraft industry is well aware of these issues. The micro cracks faced by the French giant Airbus is most probably the latest example of the expensive side effects when replacing metal with composites. But the same goes for other applications like wind blades, from which engineers witness the consequences after a 15 to 20 year use in the field. Facing new issues and failure types, engineers quickly look for solutions. Glass beads are useful in limiting mechanical failures by blocking crack propagation. Other options are also investigated like self-healing composite formulations and self-healing coatings.