EUREKA, UT / ACCESS Newswire / September 17, 2026 / Applied Minerals, Inc., (the "Company") a leading supplier of highly pure halloysite clay products, marketed under the DRAGONITE® trade name, is pleased to Introduce its DRAGONITE-BP-D501M grade for biopolymer composites requiring improvements in impact resistance, flexural strength and heat deflection temperature.
DRAGONITE-BP-D501M is a halloysite clay-based functional filler specifically developed for biopolymer composites. The surface chemistry of DRAGONITE-BP-D501M enhances the filler's adhesion to biopolymers, resulting in an improvement in a number of physical properties. Furthermore, the addition of DRAGONITE-BP-D501M enhances the nucleation of the biopolymer composite.
A third-party evaluated the performance of DRAGONITE-BP-D501M versus the leading micronized talc in a PLA composite. The PLA composite control included 11% w/w of cellulose fiber as well as a standard impact modifier. The following results show that DRAGONITE-BP-D501M significantly outperformed the leading micronized talc product per ASTM D1709-24 (Free Falling Dart Test).
PLA -3001D (%) |
Fiber (%) |
Impact Mod. B-500 (%) |
Filler |
Filler (%) |
Failure Height (mm) |
Potential Energy at Failure (gxmm)* |
Improvement over control (%) |
69 |
11 |
20 |
NONE |
0 |
60 |
30,000 |
0 |
64 |
11 |
20 |
DRAGONITE-BP-D501M |
5 |
77 |
38,500 |
28 |
59 |
11 |
20 |
DRAGONITE-BP-D501M |
10 |
80 |
40,000 |
30 |
64 |
11 |
20 |
MICRONIZED TALC |
5 |
53 |
26,500 |
(12) |
59 |
11 |
20 |
MICRONIZED TALC |
10 |
53 |
26,500 |
(12) |
| * The tested composites were compression molded into 3" x 3" x 0.125" plaques. Each plaque was conditioned at room | |||||||
| temperature for 24 hours before testing. Each plaque weighed 500 grams. ASTM D1709-24 was followed. The DRAGONITE- BP-501M, micronized talc and fiber were dried prior to compounding. | |||||||
Sample requests for the Company's DRAGONITE-BP-D501M grade can be submitted to info@appliedminerals.com or ccarney@appliedminerals.com.
About Applied Minerals, Inc.
Applied Minerals, Inc. is a leading producer of high purity halloysite clay products from its Dragon Mine property in Eureka, Utah. Halloysite is aluminosilicate clay with a unique tube-like morphology. The Company's DRAGONITE halloysite clay products are used in applications such as, but not limited to, ceramics, molecular sieves, nucleating agents and reinforcing fillers for polymers, catalysts, adhesives, coatings, flame-retardant additives, cosmetics, and battery additives.
Contact:
Chris Carney - President
(212) 226-4256
info@appliedminerals.com
SOURCE: Applied Minerals, Inc.
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