What Are the Properties of Mica Sheets?
September 21, 2021Mica sheets are one of the most widely used mica-based insulation products for industrial insulation applications. This raises the question; what makes mica sheets special? It has everything to do with what makes mica special in raw form, along with additional capabilities that make mica an ideal material to be used for a wide range of industrial insulation applications.
If you want to learn how mica sheets are manufactured, we have covered that process in an earlier blog, which you can view at your leisure.
Properties of Mica Sheets
The properties of mica sheets are no different than raw mica, just enhanced. Mica sheets have thermal stability at high temperatures, amazing dielectric strength, chemical inertness, elasticity, lightweight, and good reflective & refractive properties. However, the properties of mica sheets also vary based on the type of mica used to manufacture the sheets. For example, phlogopite mica sheets have better thermal stability than muscovite mica sheets, while muscovite mica sheets have better dielectric strength than phlogopite mica sheets.
Read the brief explanation below about the key properties of mica sheets.
Thermal Stability
Mica sheets have very good thermal stability at high temperatures. They can easily withstand temperatures of up to 1000 °C in pure form and up to 1600°C in build-up form. That’s why you will often find mica sheets are used for the thermal insulation of consumer appliances, electric vehicle battery packs, flame-retardant barriers for aircraft bodies, construction of machinery, and furnace floors in the steel and foundry industry, and many other similar thermal insulation applications.
Dielectric Strength
Mica sheets have amazing dielectric strength at high temperatures. The dielectric strength of mica sheets varies from 10 to 25 kV/mm. The stand-out property of mica is its fantastic dielectric strength at very high temperatures. There are not many elements that have both good thermal and electrical insulation properties simultaneously. That’s why you will often find mica sheets and mica-based insulation products used for the electrical insulation of high-voltage wires, electrical components, machinery, and consumer appliances.
Chemical Inertness
Mica sheets are chemically inert. This makes them highly versatile to be used in a vast range of applications in a variety of industries. Mica sheets do not react with other elements and are water-resistant. For this reason, mica sheets are used as flame retardant barriers as they discourage the spread of fire due to their chemical inertness. Mica sheets available at our Axim Mica store have a water absorption rate <1 % for 24h/23°C.
Light in Weight
Mica sheets are light in weight. This also contributes to the widespread use of mica sheets. The density of mica sheets is somewhere near 2.2 – 2.3 g/cm³. This makes them ideal to be used for applications in the aviation industry and other industries where there is a need for insulation material of lightweight with good mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties.
Durability
Finally, mica sheets have good mechanical properties such as decent tensile strength, compression strength, and toughness. This makes mica sheets durable and suitable for a wide range of insulation applications in various industries.