Exfoliated Vermiculite Manufacturers in Tamilnadu India

Limeshell Enterprises Minerals and Ores Natural Stones Chemicals Trading Company Exports Manufacturers dealers suppliers wholesalers distributors for Exfoliated vermiculite is a lightweight, highly absorbent, and fire-resistant material made from naturally occurring vermiculite mineral that has been heated to high temperatures, causing it to expand into a spongy, pebble-like structure. This process, called exfoliation, causes the flakes to expand significantly (8-30 times their original size) due to the rapid conversion of trapped water into steam.

Properties

• Lightweight and Porous: The expansion process results in a material with low bulk density and a porous structure.
• High Absorbency and Moisture Retention: It can absorb large amounts of water and nutrients, retaining them and releasing them to plants as needed.
• Chemically Inert and Sterile: It is odorless, non-toxic, inorganic, and resistant to decay, mold, and fungi, providing a sterile medium for use in gardening and industry.
• Excellent Insulation: It has low thermal conductivity and high heat resistance, capable of withstanding temperatures up to 1100°C, making it an effective thermal and acoustic insulator.
• High Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC): It can hold onto and exchange nutrients like ammonium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium, making them available to plants.
• Fire-Resistant: It is non-combustible and widely used as a fireproofing material.
• Neutral pH: It has a near-neutral to slightly alkaline pH, making it suitable for various applications without significantly altering the surrounding material's acidity.

Common Uses

Exfoliated vermiculite is a versatile material used across various industries:

• Horticulture and Agriculture:Soil Amendment: Improves soil aeration, drainage, and moisture retention in heavy or sandy soils.
  Potting Mixes and Growing Mediums: A key component in soilless growing media for professional and home gardening.
  Seed Germination and Cuttings: Provides a sterile and consistent environment that promotes faster root growth and germination.
  Nutrient Carrier: Used as a carrier or bulking agent for fertilizers and pesticides.
  Root Crop Storage: Poured around bulbs and tubers to regulate moisture and prevent rotting during storage.
  
• Construction and Industrial Applications:Insulation: Used as loose-fill insulation in attics and walls, and in the manufacture of insulation boards.
  Fireproofing: Applied as coatings, plasters, and in fire-resistant boards for structural steel and other surfaces.
  Lightweight Concrete/Plaster: Added to concrete and plaster mixes to reduce weight, improve workability, and enhance thermal insulation.
  Acoustic Insulation: Used in walls and ceilings for sound reduction.
  Specialty Uses: Employed as packaging material for hazardous or delicate items, a spill absorbent, a cooling substrate in metalwork, and as an ingredient in brake linings.