Zirbeads™ Dispersion Media
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Ultra-hard, uniform zirconia beads for high-shear mixing and dispersion applications. Engineered for processing high-viscosity formulations up to 50,000 cps with minimal contamination and extended media life.
Product Applications
DispersionMilling
Zirbeads™ represent Zircoa’s proprietary zirconia beads engineered specifically for dispersion applications to create uniform mixtures without contamination. These ultra-tough, high-purity beads are designed for high-shear mixing and dispersion of paints, pigments, and other industrial formulations where achieving uniformity in color and viscosity is critical to product quality.
Unlike standard milling media, Zirbeads function as specialized dispersing media that deliver exceptional performance in automotive paint production, pigment processing, and other demanding mixing applications. Our proprietary zirconia beads provide long-lasting performance with minimal contamination, making them the preferred choice for high-quality industrial mixing processes.
Learn more about our zirconia beads solutions below, or contact our zirconia experts to discuss your specific dispersion and mixing requirements.
The Benefits of Zirbeads™ Zirconia Beads
- Superior dispersion performance for uniform color and viscosity
- Exceptional hardness and wear resistance for extended service life
- Non-porous surface prevents contamination of sensitive formulations
- Chemically inert properties resist attack from acids and alkalis
- Uniform size and shape for consistent mixing performance
- High-density design provides superior kinetic energy for dispersion
- Engineered for high-viscosity formulations up to 50,000 cps
Primary Industries
- Automotive paint and coating manufacturing
- Industrial pigment processing and color matching
- Ink production and printing industry applications
- Specialty coating and finish manufacturing
- Pharmaceutical and cosmetic product development
Key Applications
- Automotive paint dispersion for color uniformity and finish quality
- Pigment processing to achieve consistent color properties
- High-viscosity coating formulation and mixing
- Magnetic coating production for industrial applications
- Specialty ink dispersion for printing and graphics industries
Zirbeads™ Selection and Specifications
Zircoa offers zirconia beads grades for different application requirements:
- SUPER (1.4 to 3.35 mm) — For applications requiring media with wider and more economical distribution. Historically used in vertical mills, now with expanding horizontal mill applications.
- SUPER “XR” (0.6 to 2.3 mm) — Designed for modern horizontal mills, providing narrow size distribution needed for inks, automotive coatings, and magnetic coating applications.
- Custom: Available down to 0.42 mm.
Typical Properties
| Horizontal Mill Size (Void Volume) | Zirbeads™ Super XR for 85% | (1mm) Charge |
|---|---|---|
| liters | lbs. | kg |
| 15 | 102 | 46 |
| 20 | 136 | 62 |
| 45 | 305 | 139 |
| 100 | 677 | 308 |
| 200 | 1355 | 616 |
| Media | Sizes Nom. (mm) | Range (mm) | Tyler Mesh |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zirbeads™ Super | 2.4 | 1.4 - 3.35 | -6 + 12 |
| 2.0 | 1.4 - 2.36 | -8 + 12 | |
| Zirbeads™ Super XR | 2.0 | 1.7-2.3 | -8 + 10 |
| 1.5 | 1.4 - 2.3 | -8 + 12 | |
| 1 | .85 - 1.18 | -14 + 20 | |
| .7 | .6 - .85 | -20 + 28 |
| Composition | 1300 |
|---|---|
| Stabilizer | MgO |
| SiO2 (wt.%) | 0.3 |
| CaO (wt.%) | 0.7 |
| MgO (wt.%) | 3.2 |
| Fe2O3 (wt.%) | 0.2 |
| Al2O3 (wt.%) | 0.2 |
| TiO2 (wt.%) | 0.2 |
| Typical Physical Properties | |
| Density (g/cm3) | 5.5 |
| Porosity (%) | 0.0 |
| Media | Density (g/cm3) | Primary Material | Crushing Strength (lb./grain(a)) | Wear Rating (b) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zirbeads™ | 5.5 | ZrO2 (c) | 125 to 220 | 7 |
| Zircon beads | 3.7 | ZrO2 x SiO2 | 105 to 160 | 11 |
| Alumina beads | 3.5 | Al2O3 | 125 to 220 | 22 |
| Glass beads | 2.8 | SiO2 | 40 to 70 | (d) |
| Ottawa sand | 2.8 | SiO2 | 10 to 20 | (d) |
(a) ASTM D 1213-54
(b) Zircoa Zirbeads™ wear test No. 59531. Zero = no wear.
(c) Typical composition (wt. %): ZrO2 97, MgO3, SiO2 < .35, CaO <.5, Fe2O3 < .1, Al2O3 < .2, TiO2 < .1
(d) Specific gravity too low for test conditions
Optimizing Mill Performance with Zirconia Beads
Our technical team provides comprehensive support for dispersion optimization including bead selection, mill parameter optimization, and process troubleshooting. General notes for the usage of Zirbeads™ include:
- To achieve optimum performance, Zirbeads™ contact with the formulation must be maximized. To achieve this, the agitation speed, Zirbead™ size, and throughput, must be balanced to the viscosity of the formulation. A donut-flow pattern of Zirbeads inside the mill is an indication of proper balance.
- Zirbeads™ are designed for a formulation viscosity no less than 1000 cps, although milling of lower viscosity formulas is possible. As the viscosity drops, the balance between speed and bead size becomes more critical, to avoid excessive wear on the mill and the media itself. If you hear splashing, the viscosity is too low.
- Introduce a pre-mix that is sufficiently fine and homogeneous, then start the mill. Zirbeads unsupported by pre-mix can cause start-up and wear problems. Make sure the discharge screen is properly matched to the Zirbead™ size.
- Never mix Zirbeads™ with other media. Zirbeads™ will grind-up lower density media such as zircon and glass beads, contaminating the product and causing undue wear on the mill.
You can access more information about all of Zircoa’s product offerings in our Resources section.
Zirbeads Dispersion Media Related Case Studies
There are currently no case studies available for this product.
Contact a specialist
USA & Worldwide
Ben Andreski
+1-440-346-1041
Europe, the Middle East, Africa & India
Klaus Steuer
+49-160-92364181
