Potassium Aluminosilicate - Material Information

Potassium aluminosilicate, commonly known as Muscovite Mica, is a naturally occurring mineral prized for its electrical insulating properties, thermal stability, and transparency. Its unique ability to cleave into thin sheets and its resilience under harsh conditions make it a staple in advanced material applications across industries.

Material Overview

Muscovite Mica is a potassium-rich phyllosilicate mineral with the general formula KAl₂(AlSi₃O₁₀)(OH)₂. It forms in monoclinic crystalline structures, where its layered architecture facilitates easy cleavage into sheets as thin as 0.05 mm. These sheets exhibit high dielectric strength, anisotropic thermal conductivity, and strong chemical inertness. Thermal conductivity ranges from 0.46 to 4.05 W·m^-1·K^-1, depending on orientation relative to the cleavage planes [(Gray & Uher, 1977)]. The dielectric properties are stable across a wide frequency and temperature range, with minimal energy loss and consistent electrical modulus values [(Kaur et al., 2014)].

Applications and Advantages

The unique combination of electrical insulation, thermal resistance, and mechanical flexibility positions muscovite mica as a key material in power electronics, aerospace, and thermal barrier systems. It is widely used as an electro-insulating substrate in high-voltage devices, capacitors, and superconducting systems. Its chemical stability against acids and gases allows it to function reliably in chemically aggressive environments. Furthermore, its ability to retain structural integrity under extreme temperatures makes it ideal for windows in infrared spectroscopy and insulating barriers in cryogenic and vacuum technologies.

Goodfellow Availability

Goodfellow supplies high-purity Potassium Aluminosilicate (Muscovite Mica) tailored for research and industrial use. Custom dimensions and formats are available to meet specific project requirements. Explore its comprehensive selection in our online catalogue.

Explore Potassium Aluminosilicate (Mica moscovite) and other advanced materials in Goodfellow’s online catalogue: Goodfellow product finder.

References

• Gray, A. S., & Uher, C. (1977). Thermal conductivity of mica at low temperatures. *Journal of Materials Science*, 12(5), 927–933.
• Kaur, N., Singh, L., Singh, M., Awasthi, A. M., & Kumar, J. (2014). Dielectric relaxation characteristics of muscovite mica. *Journal of Physics C: Solid State Physics*, 47(18), 125103.
• Falco, C. M. (1976). Thermal conductivity of mica from 1.5 to 4.2 K. *Journal of Applied Physics*, 47(7), 3037–3039.
• Guseinov, A. A. (2019). Dependence of electrical conductivity of mica on interlayer cations. In *Proceedings of the International Conference on Geology, Geophysics and Geoecology* (pp. 146–150).
• Fedorova, S. V. (2021). The feasibility of using small-sized mica. *IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science*, 666(5), 052010.