Cenospheres are inert and lightweight, hollow spheres made of silica and alumina which may be filled with air or inert gas. They are typically produced as a byproduct of coal combustion at thermal power plants. Let’s have a look at its various industrial applications.
Cenospheres in paint and industrial coatings are commonly used due to the additional qualities they provide. Cenosphere is often used in coatings to control infrared radiation, giving those coatings an advantage over ones that merely attempt to limit thermal conductivity.
Not only do cenospheres help improve the density of petroleum cement, but they are also used in the creation of oilfield muds at depths of up to 8,000 feet. The particular composition of cenosphere-rich drilling muds reduces well friction and increases the safety of drilling operations.
Cenospheres are often used to make ‘syntactic foam’. These are specialized solids that use cenospheres as a filler to provide any number of advantages, from lower cost to added strength and soundproofing, buoyancy, and thermal protection.
Cenospheres are widely used in the manufacture of plastics and polymers. They have a re-formable shape or strength, which helps to avoid shrinkage in thermoplastics and thermosetting plastics.
Cenospheres are the crystalline material that makes up the concrete of many buildings and structures. One application for cenospheres is as an additive to concrete, providing additional strength and sound insulation.
