Talc properties

Grexa RW, Parmentier CJ. Cosmetic talc properties and specifications. Cosmet Toilet 1979 94(2) 29—33. 

Hardness. The hardness (qv), or related property abrasiveness, is an important filler property. Hardness is determined by comparison to materials of known hardness on the Mohs scale. On this nonlinear scale, diamond is rated 10, quartz 7, calcite 3, and talc 1. The abrasiveness of a filler is also dependent on psd and the presence of impurities, eg, ka olin clay (Mohs hardness of 3) can be quite abrasive because of the presence of quartz impurities. 

Polypropylene polymers are typically modified with ethylene to obtain desirable properties for specific applications. Specifically, ethylene—propylene mbbers are introduced as a discrete phase in heterophasic copolymers to improve toughness and low temperature impact resistance (see Elastomers, ETHYLENE-PROPYLENE rubber). This is done by sequential polymerisation of homopolymer polypropylene and ethylene—propylene mbber in a multistage reactor process or by the extmsion compounding of ethylene—propylene mbber with a homopolymer. Addition of high density polyethylene, by polymerisation or compounding, is sometimes used to reduce stress whitening. In all cases, a superior balance of properties is obtained when the sise of the discrete mbber phase is approximately one micrometer. Examples of these polymers and their properties are shown in Table 2. Mineral fillers, such as talc or calcium carbonate, can be added to polypropylene to increase stiffness and high temperature properties, as shown in Table 3. 

Aluminum compounds, particularly the hydroxides and oxides are very versatile. Properties range from a hardness iadicative of sapphire and comndum to a softness similar to that of talc [14807-96-6] and from iuertness to marked reactivity. Aluminas that flow and filter like sand may be used for chromatography (qv) others are viscous, thick, unfilterable, and even thixotropic (1). 

Talc of metasedimentary origin is formed by hydrothermal alteration of a dolomitic host rock by a silica-containing fluid. This type of deposit is typical of Montana and AustraUa. It is usually quite pure with talc content of 90 to 98% and often very white as well. Dolomite [17069-72-6], CaMg(C02)2, is the most common accessory mineral. The fourth type is of metamorphic origin, where a siUcaceous dolostone is first converted to tremolite [14567-73-8] or actinohte [13768-00-8] and then partially converted to talc. The Balmat, New York, and Death Valley, California, deposits are of this type. Tremolite, dolomite, and serpentine are common accessory minerals. This type of talc deposit has a variable talc content (30—80%), but is usually white and often commercially exploited because of the properties of its accessory minerals rather than the talc. 

Talc is sold for use in a wide variety of appHcations, including paper (qv), ceramics (qv), roofing, paint (qv), plastics, mbber (qv), cosmetics (qv), pharmaceuticals (qv), adhesives (qv), sealants (qv), and animal feedstuffs (see Feeds and feed additives). In all of these appHcations it is a functional ingredient with specific beneficial properties. Talc is rarely used as a filler because it is much more expensive than alternative minerals such as limestone and clay. 

Most talc sold to paper, ceramics, and other industrial customers is manufactured to specifications agreed to between the producer and consumer. In paper, properties such as color, abrasion, surface area, and tint ate most important, whereas in ceramics, oxide chemistry, fired color, pressing characteristics, and alkaH metal content ate mote important. There ate some military specifications for talc used in corrosive coatings (6) and for cosmetic talc products used for cleaning of personnel in chemical warfare zones (7). 

Smectites are stmcturaUy similar to pyrophylUte [12269-78-2] or talc [14807-96-6], but differ by substitutions mainly in the octahedral layers. Some substitution may occur for Si in the tetrahedral layer, and by F for OH in the stmcture. Deficit charges in smectite are compensated by cations (usually Na, Ca, K) sorbed between the three-layer (two tetrahedral and one octahedral, hence 2 1) clay mineral sandwiches. These are held relatively loosely, although stoichiometricaUy, and give rise to the significant cation exchange properties of the smectite. Representative analyses of smectite minerals are given in Table 3. The deterrnination of a complete set of optical constants of the smectite group is usually not possible because the individual crystals are too small. Representative optical measurements may, however, be found in the Uterature (42,107). 

Large amounts of iaert fillers, such as whiting, talc, and clays, can be added. Very dense fillers, such as barium or strontium sulfates, are used to make compounds intended for sound-deadening appHcations. In contrast, high levels of reinforcing fillers, such as carbon black, produce undesirable properties ia the final product. 

Particulate fillers are divided into two types, inert fillers and reinforcing fillers. The term inert filler is something of a misnomer as many properties may be affected by incorporation of such a filler. For example, in a plasticised PVC compound the addition of an inert filler will reduce die swell on extrusion, increase modulus and hardness, may provide a white base for colouring, improve electrical insulation properties and reduce tackiness. Inert fillers will also usually substantially reduce the cost of the compound. Amongst the fillers used are calcium carbonates, china clay, talc, and barium sulphate. For normal uses such fillers should be quite insoluble in any liquids with which the polymer compound is liable to come into contact. 

For electrical insulation china clay is commonly employed whilst various calcium carbonates (whiting, ground limestone, precipitated calcium carbonate, and coated calcium carbonate) are used for general purpose work. Also occasionally employed are talc, light magnesium carbonate, barytes (barium sulphate) and the silicas and silicates. For flooring applications asbestos has been an important filler. The effect of fillers on some properties of plasticised PVC are shown in Figure 12.21 (a-d). 

The layers in the plate-like structure of talc are Joined by very weak van der Waals forces, and therefore delamination at low shear stress is produced. The plate-like structure provides high resistivity, and low gas permeability to talc-filled polymers. Furthermore, talc has several other structure-related unique properties low abrasiveness, lubricating effect, and hydrophobic character. Hydrophobicity can be increased by surface coating with zinc stearate. 

Talc, unlike Che micas, consists of electrically neutral layers without the interleaving cations. It is valued for its softness, smoothrtess and dry lubricating properties, and for its whitertess, chermcal inertness and foliated structure. Its most important abdications are in ceramics, insecticides, paints and paper manufacture. The more familiar use in cosmetics and toilet preparations accounts for only 3% of world production which is about 5 Mt per annum. Half of this comes from Japan and the USA. and other major producers are Korea, the former Soviet Union, France and China. Talc and its more massive mineral form soapstone or steatite arc widely distributed throughout the world and many countries produce it for domestic consumption either by open-cast or underground mining. 

More complex (and more common) structures result when some of the sili-con(IV) in silicates is replaced by aluminum(III) to form the aluminosilicates. The missing positive charge is made up by extra cations. These cations account for the difference in properties between the silicate talc and the aluminosilicate mica. One form of mica is KMg (Si1AlO10)(OH)2. In this mineral, the sheets of tetrahedra are held together by extra K+ ions. Although it cleaves neatly into transparent layers when the sheets are torn apart, mica is not slippery like talc (Fig. 14.40). Sheets of mica are used for windows in furnaces. 

Recent advances in the application of ultrafine talc for enhanced mechanical and thermal properties have been studied [12]. A particularly important use is of finely divided filler in TPO as a flame-retardant additive. In a representative formulation, 37 parts of E-plastomer, Ml 2.0, density 0.92, 60 parts of amorphous EPR, and 4 parts of fine carbon black were dry blended, kneaded at 180°C, pelletized, and press molded into test pieces, which showed oxygen index 32 versus 31 in the absence of a filler. The oxygen index is a measure of flame retardancy. 

---