Imagine we had the opportunity to do a massive survey asking this question to friction industry formulators.
They’d surely answer iron in first place, probably followed by copper, zinc, tin, maybe aluminium…But presumably not bismuth! It sounds quite an exotic metal, isn’t it? If you think this metal is more present in investigation laboratories rather than in industrial massive plants, you’d better leave the twentieth century behind and go deep in the environmental trends of 2020’s.
It is true nevertheless, bismuth had few commercial applications at the beginning of the century, and those applications that use it generally require small quantities relatively to other raw materials.
Several of the new applications in free machining steels, lead free solders and galvanizing had the size and potential growth to put intense pressure on demand for bismuth, and of course they did!
Searching on ECHA the CAS Nº for bismuth on its metal form, as well as for its sulfide (Bi2S3) and its derived oxide (Bi2O3) “No hazards have been classified”, and so, applications for this metal increased even more. In fact, it is currently being used in large scale on fine electronic components, antibacterials, tissue engineering, biosensing etc.
This immediate impact on the market made bismuth’s usage feasible for the friction industry. So let’s bring this back to reflect, while the price of metals such as tin and antimony increase and become more and more unstable, bismuth is doing the exact opposite, and there isn’t any forecast that sees this situation changing soon!
and realize that some products that have been commonly used such as antimony trisulfide or tin sulfides, and of course tin powder, have now a serious contendant, which not only is able to provide a similar effect, or even an improvement, but also it is reaching its price level, if it has not already done so.
And that’s why this metal is already being used for the most advanced friction material manufacturers from a technical perspective, and of course we are ready for it!
At rimsa, bismuth sulfide in pure (BI81) and composite (BI65) compositions are available, to match the requirements of your application. Thanks to our production technology, we ensure consistent quality and very stable chemical composition, without impurities and free of heavy metals. And yet are more bismuth-based products to come!
Do not hesitate to contact us for any question or requirement you may have. We will be happy to collaborate with you
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Armenteres s/n – Pol.Ind. MATACÀS Nave 21
08980 Sant Feliu de Llobregat (Barcelona, Spain)
Call us
+34 93 666 46 11 / +34 686 140 064
Write to us
friction@rimsa.com
