TYPE IB Drop-On Glass Beads
OMNI Type IB Dispensing Glass Beads are high-quality, reflective glass microspheres designed specifically for road-marking applications. These transparent spherical beads, made from select soda-lime glass, are dispensed onto newly painted surfaces to enhance retroreflective properties and improve nighttime road visibility.
With a carefully controlled particle size distribution, excellent optical properties, and consistent spherical geometry, our Type IB glass beads reflect vehicle headlight beams back to the light source, improving visibility in low light and at night.
Our glass beads are suitable for professional road marking projects and can be used with compatible thermoplastic, water-based, solvent-based, and cold-plastic road marking materials.
Type IB Spreading Glass Beads are premium low-refractive-index reflective glass microspheres conforming to AASHTO M247 and TT-B-1325D standards, designed specifically for spread (surface-coated) road marking applications. These markings are evenly applied to freshly applied wet paint or molten thermoplastic markings, providing immediate nighttime reflectivity after application. They are widely used in highway, urban road, runway, and parking lot pavement markings.
Type IB is a fine-grained product in the Type I series, with a particle size range of 63–300 μm. It is ideal for film marking systems such as cold solvent-based paints, water-based paints, and low-thickness MMA markings. Optional silane/silicone surface coatings are available to enhance embedding, moisture resistance, and anti-caking properties.
Key Features
Instant Retroreflectivity: Drop-on application; lights up marking lines immediately after construction
Fine Gradation IB (63–300μm): Uniform particle distribution, good embedment on thin coating
Low Refractive Index RI:1.50–1.55：Soda-lime glass, stable optical performance
High Roundness ≥70%–80%：Few angular fragments, consistent retroreflective effect
Optional Surface CoatingSilicone / silane coated, anti-caking, better adhesion with paint binder
Weather & Chemical Resistance: UV stable, resistant to road salt, weak acid & alkali
Non-toxic & Heavy Metal Controlled: Low Pb, As, Sb, compliant with highway & airport specifications
Compatible with Multiple Binders: Cold paint, waterborne paint, thermoplastic, MMA two-component
We are a glass bead manufacturer, supplying a wide variety of glass beads for road marking paint.
Road marking glass beads improve the visibility of traffic markings and road signs, thereby enhancing nighttime driving safety.
High-refractive-index glass beads can be used to manufacture reflective thermoplastic road marking paint, or applied to freshly peeled road markings to immediately improve nighttime visibility.
Technical Specifications
Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
Product Name | TYPE IB Drop-on Glass Beads |
Material | Soda-Lime Glass |
Appearance | Transparent, Colorless Spheres |
Application | Drop-on application on top of wet road marking paint |
Typical Particle Size | 63–212 μm |
Refractive Index | ≥1.50 |
Specific Gravity | 2.40–2.60 g/cm³ |
Sphericity | ≥80% |
Surface Treatment | Flow Treatment |
Chemical Composition | Soda-Lime Glass |
Standard | ABNT NBR 16184:2021 |
Packaging | 25 kg Bags / Customized |
Particle Size Distribution
TYPE IB glass beads are fine-grade microspheres, with the majority of particles generally within the 63–212 μm range.
Particle Size | Typical Description |
|---|---|
Above 212 μm | Oversize particles |
150–212 μm | Coarser fraction |
106–150 μm | Medium fraction |
63–106 μm | Fine fraction |
Below 63 μm | Undersize particles |
Actual sieve passing percentages should follow the customer's required ABNT NBR 16184:2021 grading specification.
Compatible Road Marking Materials
OMNI TYPE IB Premix Glass Beads can be incorporated into compatible road marking systems:
Water-Based Road Marking Paint
Solvent-Based Road Marking Paint
Acrylic Road Marking Paint
Cold Plastic Road Marking Materials (subject to manufacturer compatibility)
The suitable dosage and mixing process should be determined according to the paint formulation.
Application Scenarios
TYPE IB drop-on glass beads are specially designed for thin-film road marking systems, sprinkled on a fresh, wet coating surface to get immediate retroreflectivity.
Urban city road markings
Lane divider lines, edge lines, thin crosswalk outlines, stop lines, traffic arrows, text symbols on city streets, residential roads, county roads. Best match for waterborne paint & solvent cold paint.
Parking lot & commercial yard marking
Supermarket parking, shopping mall, office park, warehouse yard, logistics depot bay lines, pedestrian walkways, speed limit marking, directional arrows. Frequent repaint projects prefer this fine grade.
Bike lanes & pedestrian priority routes
Thin spray-type cold paint bike lanes, shared pedestrian & cycle paths, campus roads, community access markings. Fine beads embed well on thin coating without easy shedding.
Airport auxiliary markings
Apron auxiliary lines, service roads, boundary marking, small taxiway secondary lines (not main runway heavy-duty thick thermoplastic). Meet US airport project specs TT-B-1325D & AASHTO M247.
Spray MMA thin-layer two-component marking
Spray-applied MMA cold plastic marking, thin-build MMA lines, intersection refresh marking. Fine-grade IB beads stay firmly on thin MMA film.
Temporary road marking & construction zone marking
Short-term construction warning lines, temporary lane separation, event temporary marking, easy repaint & low film thickness.
Packing & Shipping
Package: 25KG PP woven bag with inner waterproof PE bag
Loading: 20GP ≈ 20–22 MT; 40HQ ≈ 24–26 MT
Storage: Keep sealed, dry, and away from moisture; avoid stacking over 8 layers
Shipping port: Tianjin / Qingdao / Shanghai as your request
