Mica
Mica is a phyllosilicate mineral that exhibits an almost perfect basal cleavage. From an industrial standpoint, very few are mined: Muscovite, white mica, is by far the most common, Phlogopite - a dark brown mica - comes in second. Amongst platy minerals, micas are unique due to the broad range of particle sizes naturally available from microns up to several centimetres.
Besides its glittering and aesthetic effects, mica has multiple functional properties which make it essential for a multitude of applications. Mica is widely used for its reinforcement properties, preventing cracks. It reduces warpage in thin plastics frames. Thanks to its very high aspect ratio, mica imparts the highest level of gas and moisture barrier performances. It provides also good rheology, smooth application conditions and its ability to withstand high temperature makes it a useful component in tough environmental conditions such as foundry, welding and frictional systems.
See the mica fact sheet for further examples
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