Gaoliang240-1 (Drop-on Glass Beads for Road Marking – 20-40 Mesh, High Brightness (R.I. 1.5)) is a drop-on glass bead manufactured by Yongqing Linghang Glass Bead Co., Ltd. in Hebei, China. The bead is surface-applied on top of freshly laid road markings (hot-melt thermoplastic, cold solvent paint, or waterborne paint) to give the marking immediate night-time retroreflectivity. Drivers see the marking by headlight reflection from the embedded beads rather than from the paint film itself, so bead grade directly controls how visible the line is on a dark road.
This grade is sized at 20-40 mesh (0.85-0.425 mm), which is the most common window for drop-on beads in many regions. Coarser fractions give better wet-night visibility and roll farther from the applicator shoe; finer fractions stay closer to the line and give a denser sparkle pattern. Choose the mesh range that matches the line type and the spray rate of your striping machine.
Technical specifications
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Material | Solid soda-lime glass bead |
| Refractive index (R.I.) | 1.5 |
| Particle size | 0.85-0.425 mm (850-425 µm / 20-40 mesh) |
| Retroreflectivity (RL) | 220 mcd/m²/lx |
| Roundness | ≥ 80% |
| Bulk density | approx. 1.5 g/cm³ |
| Hardness | Mohs 5-6 |
| Appearance | Clear, transparent, spherical beads |
| Chemical behaviour | Chemically inert; no reaction with ferrous or non-ferrous metals |
| Typical use | Drop-on (surface-applied) beads for road marking |
Sizes are quoted as a band between two screens, which is what a purchase order specifies. If your spec is written in microns rather than mesh, use our glass bead size chart (mesh to micron).
Applications
- Surface-applied (drop-on) to fresh hot-melt or cold-paint markings for instant night retroreflectivity.
- Widely used on urban roads, highways, crosswalks, parking lots and airport markings.
- Compatible with thermoplastic, solvent-based and waterborne marking paints (sizing on request).
- This high-brightness grade uses an enhanced glass chemistry for stronger reflection than the standard R.I. 1.5 grade under the same application rate.
Standards & Quality
- Refractive index R.I. 1.5 (standard soda-lime glass). The high-brightness variant pushes initial retroreflectivity above the standard R.I. 1.5 baseline, which is useful on freshly applied lines where the first winter traffic has not yet polished the paint surface.
- Chemically inert clear glass, roundness ≥80%, stable physical properties.
- Grading aligned with AASHTO M247, EN 1423/1424, BS 6088 and GB/T 24722 expectations on request; test reports available.
- Batch traceability from our factory in Yongqing, Hebei (producing since 2015).
Packing & Shipping
- Packing: 25 kg bags on pallets, or 1,000 kg jumbo bags (FIBC).
- Typical loading: about 22 t per 20′ FCL (jumbo bags).
- Samples 1-5 kg shipped by express worldwide before your first order.
- Lead time: samples 5-7 days; container production 10-15 days after deposit (per order).
How to Order
Send us your quantity, mesh range, R.I., application (drop-on / intermix), and destination port. We reply within 24 hours with FOB price, lead time, and sample options. Samples by courier (DHL / FedEx / TNT), freight prepaid and added to the invoice, or collect on your courier account.
