Diatomaceous earth

Does anyone have an experience using DE (Diatomaceous earth) as an epoxy filler? I ask as I have a bunch of it (used as a swimming pool filter medium) and also remember it being recommended as an admix for ferro cement construction. Anyway, I was wondering what its properties might me as a filler material.

 

Sorry can't help you with that,but food grade DE really knocks down cholesterol levels

 

The closest I have come is using vermiculite and perlite, both of which have a tendency to float in the epoxy - especially perlite. DE is a little denser so give it a try and let us know how it works!

 

Make sure you pick the cat poop out of it first.

 

Really ?

 

Be careful not to breathe it in. It will cause silicosis in the lungs.

Having said that, I also consider it for making epoxy putty. It should be very durable, but abrasive.

http://www.lungusa.org/lung-disease/silicosis/

 

Mildly abrasive, but I'm concerned about it's absorbent qualities being more problematic.

 

Food grade DE has much less risk to the lungs, although it still exists so avoid breathing in the dust.

-Tom

 

I believe the water content is quite high. They make it to filter water after all. If there is water in it, the epoxy mix won't cure.

 

Huh? I thought water was an accelerant? Still not something you want...

 

"They make it to filter water after all" - Gonzo will periodically lapse into non sequiturs as if...well, never mind. Just ignore this. Of course, use dry DE.

 

Water is not an accelerant for epoxy. It will make it become a gooey mess.
mark775: What do you mean "ignore this"?

 

water is an accelerant, for a couple of epoxy curing systems. I managed to speed up a 300 minutes system to 20 minutes cure time, by adding less than 5% water. It also creates a lot of bubbles, by the way.

 

Because something absorbs water HAS NO BEARING on if it actually has absorbed water. Because it is used for filtration HAS NO BEARING on its propensity to absorb water. Wood absorbs water, for goodness sake.
"Water...will make it become a gooey mess." _ You are thinking of poly here. Most epoxy just tends to fail to adhere.

 

DE is just glass. Silica dioxide, if you will. It is not hydrophyllic like salt. It is fairly inert. It is used in parmagian cheese as an anti-caking agent. It will tear the cells in your lungs because it is very sharp.