Microspheres and methods of making the same

A method of manufacturing a plurality of expanded microspheres, comprising:

• mixing a plurality of solid particles, at least one binding material capable of binding the plurality of solid particles, and a plurality of reactive expansion components into a batch;
• forming a plurality of agglomerated particles from the batch;
• heating the plurality of agglomerated particles in an expansion equipment to above a softening temperature of at least a portion of the plurality of agglomerated particles and activating the plurality of reactive expansion components to form a plurality of intermediate expanded microspheres;
• and
• forming a gas and expanding the plurality of intermediate expanded microspheres into the plurality of expanded microspheres;
• wherein the step of activating the plurality of reactive expansion components occurring independently from a chemical composition of an atmosphere surrounding the plurality of agglomerated particles inside the expansion equipment, and
• the plurality of manufactured expanded microspheres comprising:
• a structure comprising a plurality of walls and a surface layer,
• the plurality of walls defining a plurality of closed pores and a plurality of open pores, the surface layer enclosing the plurality of closed pores and the plurality of open pores within the expanded microsphere,
• wherein each closed pore of said plurality of closed pores being completely surrounded by the plurality of walls,
• wherein each open pore of said plurality of open pores being surrounded partially by at least one of the plurality of walls and the surface layer,
• wherein the plurality of walls and the surface layer comprise a glass,
• wherein the surface layer comprising a plurality of perforations, and
• wherein the glass comprising at least one of a sulfide and ferrous iron.