Calcium Carbonate Filler

Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) is one of the most popular mineral fillers used in the plastics industry. It is widely available around the world, easy to grind or reduce to a specific particle size, compatible with a wide range of polymer resins and economical. As an additive in plastic compounds, CaCO3 helps decrease surface energy and provides opacity and surface gloss, which improves surface finish. In addition, when the particle size is carefully controlled, CaCO3 helps increase both impact strength and flexural modulus (stiffness).

Calcium carbonate may be used with a myriad of thermoplastic resins. Polypropylene compounds are often filled with calcium carbonate to increase rigidity, an important requirement for operations at high temperatures. In PVC, calcium carbonate is used with flexible compounds such as tubing, wire and cable insulation, latex gloves, trash bags and in rigid compounds such as extruded pipes, conduits and window profiles.