They are an alternative to conventional additives/fillers such as glass fiber, calcium carbonate, and talc. The new additives are 40% stronger than previous microspheres and, at 17 m, are approximately half their sizes. 3M iM30K-filled polypropylene molded parts are nearly 17% lighter than PC/ABS counterparts and cost half as much.
3M Specialty Materials Div., 3M Center, St. Paul, MN 55144, (800) 367-8905, 3m.com