3. Market Demand The demand for mica powder fluctuates with trends in the industries that utilize it. For instance, the cosmetics sector has seen a resurgence in the popularity of mineral-based products, driving up demand for high-quality mica powder. Furthermore, growing consumer awareness regarding natural and non-toxic ingredients has led to increased market demand, positively impacting prices.
Natural mica powder and synthetic mica powder also have great differences in electrical insulation, mechanical properties, chemical stability, application range and cost. Natural mica powder has good electrical insulation, but the volume resistivity is lower than that of synthetic mica. Synthetic mica powder has better electrical insulation properties, high volume resistivity and stable dielectric constant, and is suitable for high performance electrical insulation materials. The hardness of natural mica powder is relatively low (2-3), and it has good elasticity and peeling property. The hardness of synthetic mica powder is higher (between 3 and 4), and the tensile strength and compressive strength are better than that of natural mica powder. Natural mica powder is stable in acid-base solution, but it is easy to decompose at high temperature. Synthetic mica powder is stable to acid and base at room temperature, but will be slowly corroded by sulfuric acid above 300℃. Better thermal stability, not easy to release gas. Natural mica powder is widely used in electrical appliances, welding rods, rubber, plastics, paper making, paint and other fields. Synthetic mica powder is mainly used in high-end electrical insulation materials, aviation, aerospace, national defense industry and other high-tech fields. Because synthetic mica powder needs to be produced through complex chemical processes, its production cost is usually higher than that of natural mica powder. Therefore, in the market, the price of synthetic mica powder is often higher than that of natural mica powder. However, with the continuous progress of production technology and the gradual emergence of scale effects, the price of synthetic mica powder is expected to gradually decrease.
Take pearlescent pigments as an example, pearlescent pigments are a class of pigments with pearl luster, which are deposited on the substrate (generally natural mica, synthetic mica, glass sheet and other sheet-like materials) above a layer or alternately deposited multiple layers of metal oxides or non-metallic oxides and formed a flat sandwich body with a structure similar to sandwich. Due to the difference in refractive index between the substrate and the oxide deposited on its surface and each oxide, when the light shines on the surface of the pearlescent pigment, the incident light will be refracted and reflected at the interface of each layer of the pearlescent pigment, and the color of the pearlescent pigment that people see is the result of the superposition of light after multiple refractions and reflections of the light, that is, the interference phenomenon of light.
The mica variety that does not contain iron is colorless in flakes, and the higher the iron content, the darker the color, and the more polychromatic and absorbable it is. According to the different chemical composition and optical characteristics, mica group minerals can be divided into Muscovite subgroup, biotite-phlogopite subgroup and lemica subgroup. The common mica are biotite, phlogopite, Muscovite and so on.
In the ever-evolving world of beauty, cosmetic pigment powder stands out as a cornerstone product that perpetually revolutionizes the way we express ourselves. These finely milled powders are not just about colors; they encapsulate artistry, innovation, and personal identity. This article delves into the intricacies of cosmetic pigment powder—its composition, applications, and the reasons it has become an essential part of the beauty industry.
Layer upon layer of mica
Later, with the development of science and technology, people gradually realized that mica minerals have high insulation, high temperature resistance, strong acid and alkali resistance, and mica also began to enter building materials, fire, plastics, paper, rubber, pearlite pigments and other industries. These are mainly Muscovite and phlogopite.
The common characteristics of mica group minerals are: layered silicate minerals, monoclinic crystal system, a few trigonal crystal system, the crystals are pseudo-hexagonal columnar, plate and sheet; The aggregate is scaly and foliaceous. It has a set of extremely complete cleavage, along which it is easy to peel into sheets. Therefore, the shape of mica is usually regarded as sheet.
Mica is a group of silicate minerals that naturally form in thin layers or sheets. Its sparkling appearance is due to its crystal structure, which reflects and refracts light. This unique feature makes mica highly valued in cosmetic formulations. It is most commonly used in the form of a fine powder that can be easily incorporated into various cosmetic products. While natural mica is mined from the earth, synthetic mica, which has similar properties, is also available and used in some formulations.