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Process Optimization with Moisture
Controlled Calcium Carbonates
Low-Moisture Fillers
for Reactive Adhesives
& Sealants
Optimize Your Production Process
Polyurethane, silicones, silylated modified polymers, silan
terminated polyurethanes and MS polymers are or can be used
to formulate moisture curing systems; so-called moisture reactive Additives
adhesives & sealants. These are highly reactive, and typically
high-end systems, especially with respect to their rheological and
mechanical profile.

A critical aspect, and often a challenge in these systems, is

the proper control of moisture content during production and
storage to allow the proper moisture content before targeted
onset of curing after application.
Filler
A mineral filler, such as Calcium Carbonate, is often the major
component of these moisture reactive formulations. Typical filler
levels can reach up to 55 - 60%. This means in practical terms
that although moisture content of a filler appears low on a
data sheet in terms of percentage, the filler can still bring a lot
of water into the system, which then needs to be handled and
reduced according to the actual requirements.
Plasticizer

Omya’s low-moisture Calcium Polymer

Carbonate such as Omyabond® 520

or Omyacoll® P 100, are specially
designed to provide low-moisture
and low-moisture pick-up

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Basic Production Process of
Reactive Adhesives & Sealants

Typical solutions to manage

Curing with
moisture are: pre-drying raw room humidity
materials, heat and vacuum
during mixing, and chemical
drying. All of these steps
are costly, time and energy Suitable packaging
during storage
consuming, and there is a
danger to fail to comply with
regulatory requirements. Controlled moisture content
800 ppm

Process / Time
On the other hand, too high
water content can lead to
pre-curing during production Production process –
vacuum, heating, cooling
or result in limited shelf life of Formulation – chemical drying
adhesive & sealant products.
Fillers can help reduce moisture Pre-drying
content, therefore choosing the raw materials
right filler can play an important
role in optimizing your
Warehouse
production process and ensuring raw materials
good final product quality.

Benefits
Savings Process

Reduce number of production steps Eliminate filler pre-drying

Save energy Lower mixing temperatures

Faster production cycles because of
Increase mixing capacity
significantly shorter cooling times
Save cost on additives Reduce chemical drying additives
Independence from the surrounding
Low-moisture pick-up of the filler
climate even in high humidity areas

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 Filler Moisture Management
Omya offers a broad range of Calcium Carbonate varying
in particle size, surface treatment and purity
· A five-micron Ground Calcium Carbonate (GCC) is typically used as a standard filler in sealants for
general applications without a demanding mechanical profile. With a high filler level, rheological
requirements of: easy application and good slump resistance will be met.

· Finer GCCs, such as Omyacarb® 2 or 1, provide improved performance in terms of tensile strength and
elongation, needed in elastic bonding applications.

· Ultrafine GCCs, such as Hydrocarb® 95 T or Omyacoll® P 100, with a median diameter particle size
(d50%) of < 1 μm, will further boost mechanical properties and improve the rheological profile. These
GCCs are often used in SMP parquet adhesives.

Positioning of different Calcium Carbonate Fillers

Ultrafine PCC
Omyacoll® P100
Mechanical / rheology impact

Hydrocarb® 95T
High

Omyabond® 520

Omyacarb® 1T
Low

Omyacarb® 2T

Omyacarb® 5T The size of the bubble

refers to the median
particle size

Low moisture High moisture

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 Performance of treated Calcium Carbonates
Modulus

10
8
Moisture 6
4 Elongation
control
2
0

Tensile
Workability
strength

Ridge holding / Anti-sagging

Omyacoll® P 100 Omyacarb® 1 T Omyabond® 520 Hydrocarb® 95 T PCC, rhombohedric

Surface treatment technologies can be used to effectively manage moisture level in Calcium
Carbonate fillers. Looking at the different types of GCC, we can see in the figure below that the
moisture level is also dependent on the type of surface treatment and room humidity.

Comparison of Typical Moisture Content

for different Types of GCC
0.16
Moisture content

0.12

0.08
[%]

0.04

0.00
25 20 15 10 5 0

d50% [µm]
Untreated Treated Low-moisture

The figure below shows typical moisture pick-up by different types of Ground Calcium Carbonates
(GCC) at 23 °C and 85% relative humidity.

Moisture Pick-up
1500
Moisture pick-up [ppm]

1250

1000

750

500

250

0
0 1 2 3

Time [days]
Omyabond® 520 Omyacarb® 1T

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 Calcium Carbonate for Reactive
Adhesives & Sealants
Water Input for 1,000 kg of Calcium Carbonate

Omyabond® 520 Competitive sample

Water content at 85% relative room humidity

Omyabond® 520 Competitive Sample

At 50% relative humidity 300 ml 500 ml

At 85% relative humidity 400 ml 1800 ml

Typical Product Data

Omyabond® 520 Omyacoll® P 100

Chemical analysis
98% Calcium Carbonate
of raw material
Median particle size
1.7 - 2 µm 0.6 µm
(d50%)

Brightness (Ry) 94% 94%

Moisture content 0.05% 0.08%

Product Availability
Omyabond® 520 is available globally from production sites in Europe, America and China
Omyacoll® P 100 is produced in Europe and Korea
Omyacarb® grades are globally available

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Omyabond® 520 or Omyacoll® P 100
will be the product of choice, if you
want to reduce production cost by:
· No pre-drying of the filler
· Reduce temperature during mixing process
(for example from 120 to < 30 °C)
· Shorten mixing and cooling time
(for example from 160 to 15 min)
· Reduce chemical drying additives /
moisture scavengers (for example by 50%)
· Higher filler levels when used as a single filler

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 08/2019
Omya Construction

+41 62 789 29 29
construction@omya.com

Omya International AG
CH-4665 Oftringen
www.omya.com

Omya has taken every possible care to ensure that the information herein is correct in all aspects.
However, Omya cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions which may be found
herein, nor will it accept responsibility for any use which may be of the information, the same
having been given in good faith, but without legal responsibility. This information does not
give rise to any warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, including fitness for purpose and
non-infringement of intellectual property. The technical information presented comprises typical
data and should not be taken as representing a specification. Omya reserves the right to change
any of the data without notice.