In the past, we've discussed the use of recycled pharmaceutical gelatin in our glue products but did you know that this same gelatin is used to manufacture paintballs?
The design of a paintball is pretty unique because it must be strong enough to withstand high velocities of up to 200 mph, but also soft enough to burst when it comes into contact with a target. A good paintball comes down to how well the elastic outter shell performs which, you guessed it, is made from gelatin.
The same way Advil liquid-gels, or "soft gels", have a gelatin coating and a liquid center, the gelatin shell (or capsule) of a paintball holds the paint.
Gelatin is a protein derived from its parent protein, collagen. It is a hydrophilic colloid in an aqueous solution, nearly tasteless and odorless, vitreous and brittle as a solid and typically faint yellow in color. Gelatin is graded according to its strength or bloom, with a higher bloom indicating a higher grade.
In addition to gelatin, a plasticizer is added to increase the stability of the shell and make gelatin easier to mold.
How Paintballs are Made
Benefits of Gelatin for Manufacturing Paintballs
+ Non-toxic, recyclable and eco-friendly
+ Competitively priced
+ Nearly tasteless and odorless
+ Faint yellow in color, easily dyed for paintballs
Other Uses of Gelatin
Gelatin can be found in many everyday items including:
+ Jell-O
+ Marshmallows and gummy bears
+ Cosmetics
+ Pharmaceutical tablets and capsules
+ Adhesives
Gelatin is a major part of our manufacturing process at LD Davis, not only in our adhesive formulas but in a variety of everyday products that our customers manufacture.
