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Mica sheets

Some typical uses:

  • EM carbon film preparation
  • SPM substrates
  • Thin film applications

Nano-Tec mica is muscovite sheet type or ruby mica of the highest grade V-1 quality. Selected for its excellent cleavability and lack of inclusions or bubbles it is transparent or translucent with a shade of ruby to pink.

Mica is a natural mineral mined from various deposits with a density of 2.7-3g/cm3 and chemical formula Kal3Si3O10(OH)2. Nano-Tec mica is sourced from one of the highest quality muscovite mica sheet deposits in India. Mica is a dielectric material, stable in water, inert to most acids, alkalis, solvents and oil. Maximum operating temperature is 500-600°C.

SDS mica sheets

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How to use mica sheets

Mica must be freshly cleaved to produce a clean substrate. The freshly cleaved mica sheet surfaces are clean, even and atomically flat, making it ideal for the preparation of thin carbon films, as an AFM substrate or for other thin film applications.
The standard thickness of Nano-Tec muscovite mica discs and  mica sheets varies from 0.15-0.21mm and yields multiple thinner sheets (0.02mm) of freshly cleaved mica. Mica cleaves on the <001> plane. Methods of cleaving mica include:

Methods of cleaving include:

  • Inserting a sharp blade or point into the edge of the mica sheet and peel off a fresh sheet
  • Placing double-sided tape on the mica sheet and peeling off a thin sheet, starting at the edge

Mica sheet and mica disc specification and sizes

Product #

Disc

Sheet

Size in mm

Grade V-1

Standard
0.15-0.21mm

Thicker mica

10-018310

V

Ø10

V

V

–

10-018312

V

Ø12

V

V

–

10-018315

V

Ø15

V

V

–

10-018320

V

Ø20

V

V

–

10-018325

V

Ø25

V

V

–

10-018305

V

15×15

V

V

–

10-018311

V

25×25

V

V

–

10-018314

V

25×25

V

–

0.25-0.35

10-018321

V

25×50

V

V

–

10-018322

V

50×50

V

V

–

10-018331

V

25×75

V

V

–

10-018332

V

50×75

V

V

–

10-018334

V

100×75

V

V

–

 

 

Parameter Unit Number
Colour ruby /  pink / green
Hardness Mohs 2.8 – 3.2
Density g/cm3 2.6 – 3.2
Tensile strength kg/cm2 ~1750
Shear strength kg/cm2 2200 – 2700
Compression strength kg/cm2 1900 – 2850
Modulus of elasticity g/cm2 1400 – 2100
Specific heat 0.21
Expansion coefficient per °C perpendicular to cleavage plane 9x 10-6 – 36 x 10-6
Maximum operating temperature °C 500 – 600
Thermal conductivity perpendicular g.cal/sec/cm2/°C/cm 0.13x 10-3
Thermal conductivity parallel g.cal/sec/cm2/°C/cm 0.31
Dielectric strength @20 °C KV/mm 3 – 5
Apparent electric strength KV/mm 120 – 200
Volume resistivity @ 25 °C Ohm.cm 4 x10-15 – 2×10-17
Power factor (loss tangent) @ 15 °C 0.0001 – 0.0004
Optical angle degree 50 – 75
Refractive index 1.56 – 1.61
Permittivity @15 °C 6 – 7
Calcining temperature  °C 700 – 800
Water of constitution % 4.5
Moisture absorption Very low

 

Element or compound Composition in %
Silica – SiO2 45.57
Alumina – Al2O3 33.1
Potassium oxide – K2O 9.87
Iron oxide – Fe2O3 2.48
Sodium oxide – Na2O 0.62
Carbon – C 0.44
Magnesium oxide – MgO 0.38
Calcium oxide – CaO 0.21
Phosphor – P 0.03
Sulphur – S 0.01
Titanium dioxide – TiO2 traces
H2O @ 100 C 0.25
H2O loss on ignition 2.74

Visual grading classification system description for sheet mica

The quality of muscovite mica is determined by visual inspection according to ASTM D351-571 from the highest  quality V1 to the V12 (V-10A) 1. V-1: Clear – Hard, of uniform colour, nearly flat, free of all stains, foreign inclusion, cracks, and other similar defects.
2. V-2: Clear and Slightly Stained – Hard, of uniform color, nearly flat and may contain slight crystallographic discoloration, and very slight air inclusions in not more than one fourth of the usable area.
3. V-3: Fair Stained – Hard, of uniform color, may contain slight waves, slight crystallographic discoloration, and sligh air inclusions in not more than one-half of the usable area.
4. V-4: Good Stained – Hard, of uniform color, may contain medium waves slight crystallographic discoloration, and medium air inclusion in not more than two-third of the usable area.
5. V-5: Stained A Quality – Hard, may contain medium air inclusions, uniformly distributed in the usable area; slight green vegetable stains, medium waviness, and heavy waves if specified.
6. V-6: Stained B Quality – Hard, may contain heavy air inclusions and heavy waves, medium green vegetable stains, slight black and red dots (mineral) and clay stains.
7. V-7: Heavy Stained – Hard, and may contain heavy air inclusions and waves, slight light black and red dots (mineral), medium cloudy stains, clay stains and green stains (vegetable). Soft, buckles, ridges, and sand blast acceptable if specified.
8. V-7A: Densely Stained – Hard and soft. May contain heavy waves and air inclusions, cloudy stains. High black and red dots (mineral). Medium black and red stained (mineral), buckles, and ridges. Also, green stain (vegetable type), clay stains, herringbones, and sand blast.
9. V-8: Black Dotted – Hard, may contain medium waves, heavy air inclusions, cloudy stains, light black and red dots (mineral), and green stains (vegetable).
10. V-9: Black Spotted – Hard, may contain medium waves, heavy air inclusions, cloudy stains, light black and red dots (mineral), and green stains (vegetable type), slight black stains (mineral), and sand blast.
11. V-10: Black Stained – Hard, may contain medium waves, heavy air inclusions, cloudy stains, light black and red dots (mineral), green stains (vegetable type), and sand blast, medium black stains (mineral), slight red stains (mineral), and clay stains.
12. V-10A: Densely Black and Red Stained – Hard, may contain heavy waves, air inclusion, cloudy stains, light black and red dots (mineral), red stains (mineral), black and red stains (mineral), green stains (vegetable type), and sand blast, very dense black and red stains (mineral), and slight clay stains. Soft if specified.

Grading classification of sheet mica

QUALITY CLASSIFICATION OF MUSCOVITE MICA BASED ON VISUAL PROPERTIES
V-1
clear
highest quality		 V-2
clear and
slightly stained		 V-3
fair stained		 V-4
good stained		 V-5
stained A quality		 V-6
stained B quality		 V-7
heavy stained		 V-7A
densely Stained		 V-8
black dotted		 V-9
black spotted		 V-10
black Stained		 V-10A
densely black
& red stained
Crystallographic discoloration X *d *d *d * * * * * * * *
Very slight X * * * * * * * * * * *
Slight X X * * * * * * * * * *
Medium X X X *e *f * * * * * * *
Heavy X X X X X * * * * * * *
Cloudy stains X X X X X X *g *h * * * *
Light black and
red dots (mineral)		 X X X X X *d *d *h * * * *
Black stains
(mineral)		 X X X X X X X *g X *d *g *h
Red stains
(mineral)		 X X X X X X X *g X X *d *
Black and red
stains (mineral)		 X X X X X X X X X X X *
Green stains
(Vegetable type)		 X X X X *d *g *g * * * * *
Clay stains X X X X X *d *g * X X *d *d
Nearly flat * * * * * * * * * * * *
Slight X X * * * * * * * * * *
Medium X X X * * * * * * * * *
Heavy X X X X X * * * X X X *
Hard * * * * * * * * * * * *
Soft X X X X X X S * X X X S
Stones and holes X X X X X X X X X X X X
Buckles X X X X X X S *g X X X X
Reeves X X X X X X X X X X X X
Ridges X X X X X X S *g X X X X
Tears X X X X X X X X X X X X
Cracks X X X X X X X X X X X X
Hairline cracks X X X X X X X X X X X X
Wedge X X X X X X X X X X X X
Tangle sheet X X X X X X X X X X X X
Herringbones X X X X X X X * X X X X
Sand blast X X X X X X S * X * * *

 

Explanation symbols
Permissable *
Not permissable X
Permissable only if specified S
Few and tiny in 1/4 of usable area a
In 1/2 of usable area b
Very dense c
Slight d
In 2/3 of usable area e
Uniformly distributed f
Medium g
Heavy h

 

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Mica sheet and mica disc ordering information: