With the rapid development of the reflective material industry, the demand for reflective materials continues to grow. And one of the core components of these reflective materials is glass beads, they are tiny but very important. This article will introduce how glass beads play their role.
What Are Glass Beads?
Glass beads are made from inorganic materials fired into a liquid state at 1600 degrees in a furnace, and then through cooling, they shrink into durable and transparent tiny spherical particles using the automatic tension of the surface during the process. The spherical shape of glass beads is crucial to their function because it allows light to enter the bead and reflect back to the light source. The spherical surface ensures that the light is refracted and focused to a point inside the bead, thereby maximizing its reflective ability. When the light leaves the bead, it is reflected back along its original path, a phenomenon called retroreflection. This fundamental property makes glass beads an ideal component element for reflective material applications, from road markings to safety equipment, where maximizing light reflection is essential to ensure visibility and safety in low-light conditions.
Figure 1 Glass beads
The Concept Of Glass Bead Mesh Number
The mesh number of glass beads refers to their particle size, i.e. the number of beads per inch length obtained through a standard sieve. The larger the mesh number, the smaller the particle size of the glass beads, and vice versa. However, it should be noted that it is not the case that the larger the mesh size of the glass beads, the higher the quality. Therefore, when choosing glass beads, it is necessary to match the appropriate mesh size according to the specific requirements of the application field. YGM’s conventional reflective materials generally use 180-500 mesh glass beads.
Refractive Index
The refractive index determines the degree to which light is refracted on the surface of an object. According to the refractive index can be divided into high refractive index glass beads and low refractive index glass beads. Generally low refractive index glass beads can be used in the road marking, this kind of glass beads particle size is very large, the refractive index is also low, generally between 1.7-1.9. And reflective materials used in the application of high refractive index glass beads, refractive index between 1.9-2.2.
Figure 2 Glass beads refractive index
Application Of Glass Beads In Reflective Materials
Glass beads are one of the essential components in all types of reflective materials. Reflective materials have two main application areas: traffic safety protection and personal safety protection. In the field of traffic safety protection: YGM has different levels of reflective sheeting, reflective sign, marine reflective tape, etc.. In the field of personal safety protection: we have reflective tape, reflective vinyl, safety garment, reflective accessories and other types of reflective products for customers to choose.
Figure 3 Application of glass beads in reflective materials
YGM’s incorporation of glass beads into its materials is a leap forward in ensuring safety and visibility. Proving the power of its technology through glass beads. As a leading supplier of reflective material solutions, YGM is committed to providing reflective products you can trust. For more information about our reflective materials and how they can meet your reflective needs, contact our sales team today and learn more about the YGM difference.
——Hailey Hong