Calcined Neuburg Siliceous Earth

Neuburg Siliceous Earth is unique in the world. Until today, deposits of this mineral have only been found near Neuburg on the Danube in
Bavaria. The next pages will tell you how we - Hoffmann Mineral - are producing from the unique Neuburg Siliceous Earth the calcined
products Silfit and Aktifit.

In addition, you can get a summary of our calcined product range and the properties of the individual grades. In order to enable you to
always have available the most important information about our calcined products, we offer material specifications and safety data sheets
for downloading. If you become interested in our products, you will find further information about ordering, packaging and shipping modes
under "Packaging and Supply".

Structure and Mineralogical Composition

Classic Neuburg Siliceous Earth - also called Sillitin and Sillikolloid - is a natural combination of corpuscular, crypto-crystalline and
amorphous silica and lamellar kaolinite: a loose structure impossible to separate by physical methods. This base material and a
downstream thermal process lead to a calcined product which in comparison with standard grades offers additional application benefits
as a functional filler. The typical particle structure of Neuburg Siliceous Earth with nano-scale primary particles remains unchanged by the
heat treatment.

The Way to Calcined Siliceous Earth

Neuburg Siliceous Earth is a sediment, which was deposited 95 million years ago on the limestone strata from the later Jurassic period
and fell in so-called karst funnels where it was preserved.

The base for the calcined products is the standard grade Sillitin Z 86

which has long been used in a multitude of applications. The

calcination of the Sillitin helps to drive off the crystal water present in the kaolinite portion and to generate calcined kaolinite. The cryptocrystalline silica portion remains inert under the temperature chosen; this is why the final product is free from crystobalite. Through an
integrated air classifier process grain sizes > 15 m are being removed.

Product Range

Learn more about our products Silfit and Aktifit. In order to enable you to have always available the most important informations, we offer the
Material specifications and Material safety data sheets for downloading. If you have to insist on special purity requirements for our products, you will
also find here the approval according to the Food Additive Directive.

Our Range at a Glance

Three grades of Calcined Neuburg Siliceous Earth are presently available:

the base product Silfit Z 91

and two surface treated products:

Aktifit AM

treated with amino silane

Aktifit VM

treated with vinyl silane

All calcined products show nearly the same particle size distribution as the basic material Sillitin Z 86

Grain size distribution of Calcined Neuburg Siliceous Earth in comparison with standard grades

The determination of these particle size distributions was based on Fraunhofer diffraction spectra. The analyses were run on a laser
instrument Mastersizer S from Malvern.

Color value according to CIELAB

L* = 93
a* = 0.1
b* = 1.6

With respect to the color value L* , a* and particularly b* the calcined products are much more color neutral than not calcinated Neuburg
Siliceous Earth.

Silfit
Silfit Z 91

is a naturally occurring conglomerate of amorphous and crypto-crystalline silica with lamellar kaolinite, which has been

subjected to a heat treatment. The components and the thermal process lead to a calcined product that offers special perfomance
benefits as a functional filler.
Characteristics

Unit

Method

Silfit Z 91

Color Value L*

acc. to CIELAB

95

Color Value a*

acc. to CIELAB

- 0.1

Color Value b*

acc. to CIELAB

1.0

Particle Size D50

Internal Test Procedure

Particle Size D97

Internal Test Procedure

10

Residue > 40 m

mg/kg

DIN ISO 787 Part 18

10

Volatile Matter at 105C

DIN ISO 787 Part 2

0.2

Electrical Conductivity

S/cm

DIN ISO 787 Part 14

20

Density

g/cm

DIN ISO 787 Part 10

2.6

Bulk Density

g/cm

DIN ISO 903-1976

0.33

Tamped Density

g/cm

DIN ISO 903-1976

0.55

BET Surface Area

m/g

DIN ISO 9277

Oil Absorption

g/100 g DIN ISO 787 Part 5

55

Hardness Silica/Calcined Kaolinite

acc. to Mohs

7/4.5

Refractive Index n

sin / sin

1.55

Water Solubility

DIN ISO 787 Part 3

insoluble

DIN 53 770 (0,1 n HCI)

0.25

DIN ISO 787 Part 9

6,5

Acid Solubility

ph Value
Chemical Analysis:
SiO2

86
%

DIN 51001 (XRF)

Al2O3

13

Fe2O3

<1

Mineralogical Composition:
Crypto-crystalline Silica

Based on X-ray Diffraction Pattern Analysis

60

Combined with Rietveld

30

%
Calcined Kaolinite
Amorphous Silica
The values shown in the table are to be considered as guidelines only.

10

Aktifit
Aktifit is an activated Silfit Z 91

, produced by modifying the surface with functional silanes. The by-products split off during the

treatment reaction are largely removed during the production process which firmly attaches the silane to the filler surface. This helps
minimize undesirable side effects, as they are potentially encountered with insitu mixing (direct addition of silane to the compound).
Aktifit
Basic Material

Silfit Z 91

Silfit Z 91

Surface Modification

Amino Silane

Vinyl Silane

Characteristics

Unit

Method

Aktifit AM

Aktifit VM

Color Value L*

acc. to CIELAB

95

93

Color Value a*

acc. to CIELAB

- 0.1

- 0.1

Colour Value b*

acc. to CIELAB

1.0

1.0

Particle Size D50

Internal Test Procedure

Particle Size D97

Internal Test Procedure

10

10

Residue > 40 m

mg/kg

DIN ISO 787 Part 18

10

10

Volatile Matter at 105C

DIN ISO 787 Part 2

0.2

0.1

Electrical Conductivity

S/cm

DIN ISO 787 Part 14

60

Density

g/cm

DIN ISO 787 Part 10

2.6

2.6

Bulk Density

g/cm

DIN ISO 903-1976

0.31

0.42

Tamped Density

g/cm

DIN ISO 903-1976

0.55

0.70

BET Surface Area

m/g

DIN ISO 9277

Oil Absorption

g/100 g DIN ISO 787 Part 5

55

55

Hardness Silica/Calcined Kaolinite

acc. to Mohs

7/4.5

7/4.5

Refractive Index n

sin / sin

1.55

1.55

Water Solubility

DIN ISO 787 Part 3

insoluble

insoluble

DIN 53 770 (0.1 n HCI)

0.25

0.25

DIN ISO 787 Part 9

86

86

Al2O3

13

13

Fe2O3

<1

<1

Acid Solubility

ph Value
Chemical Analysis:
SiO2
%

DIN 51001 (XRF)

Mineralogical Composition:
Crypto-crystalline Silica

Based on X-ray Diffraction Pattern 60

60

Analysis Combined with Rietveld

30

30

10

10

< 0.01

%
Calcined Kaolinite
Amorphous Silica
Water Absorption

acc. Baumann