Nano particle mineral pigment

Abstract

Mineral pigments (such as kaolin clay) having a high surface area and particle size in the nano scale range are provided which are useful in paper coating and filling, ink jet coating formulations, paint compositions, and as a filler in rubbers, plastics and polymers. These pigments are manufactured by intensive wet milling of a mineral composition which may have undergone prior dry grinding and then optionally subjecting the wet milled mineral composition to an acid treatment.

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         10 . A process for the manufacture of a mineral pigment by treating an unground mineral composition, wherein the process comprises the sequential steps of:
 A. obtaining a beneficiated, unground mineral composition;   B. dry grinding the mineral composition under conditions of high intensity sufficient to aggregate the particles of the mineral composition,
 whereby the surface area of the aggregated particles is increased over the surface area of the particles of the unground mineral composition; 
   C. subjecting the ground mineral composition to an acid treatment,
 whereby the surface area of the aggregated particles of the acid treated ground mineral composition is increased over the surface area of the aggregated particles of the ground mineral composition prior to acid treatment; and 
   D. wet milling the acid treated mineral composition under conditions of high intensity to produce a mineral pigment,
 whereby the particles of the wet milled mineral pigment are substantially increased in surface area and substantially decreased in particle size as compared to the acid treated mineral composition prior to wet milling. 
   
     
     
         11 . A process as defined by  claim 10  wherein the beneficiated unground mineral composition is selected from the group consisting of hydrous kaolin clay, calcined kaolin clay, bentonite, zeolite, talc and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         12 . A process for the manufacture of a mineral pigment by treating an unground mineral composition, wherein the process comprises the sequential steps of:
 A. obtaining a beneficiated, unground mineral composition;   B. dry grinding the mineral composition under conditions of high intensity sufficient to aggregate the particles of the ground mineral composition,
 whereby the surface area of the aggregated particles is increased over the surface area of the particles of the unground mineral composition; 
   C. wet milling the aggregated particles of the dry ground mineral composition under conditions of high intensity to produce a mineral pigment,
 whereby the particles of the wet milled dry ground mineral composition are substantially increased in surface area and substantially decreased in particle size as compared to the dry ground mineral composition prior to wet milling; and 
   D. subjecting the wet milled dry ground mineral composition to an acid treatment to produce a mineral pigment,
 whereby the surface area of the particles of the wet milled acid-treated mineral pigment is substantially increased over the surface area of the particles of the wet milled dry ground mineral composition prior to acid treatment. 
   
     
     
         13 . A process as defined by  claim 12  wherein the unground mineral composition is hydrous kaolin clay, calcined kaolin clay, bentonite, talc, zeolite or a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         14 . A nano particle mineral pigment having an increased surface area wherein the pigment is produced by a process comprising the sequential steps of:
 A. obtaining a beneficiated, unground mineral composition; and   B. wet milling the mineral composition under conditions of high intensity to produce a mineral pigment,
 whereby the particles of the wet milled mineral pigment are substantially increased in surface area and substantially decreased in particle size as compared to the unground mineral composition. 
   
     
     
         15 . A nano particle mineral pigment as defined by  claim 14  wherein, prior to wet milling, the mineral composition is subjected to dry grinding under conditions of high intensity sufficient to aggregate the particles of the ground mineral composition. 
     
     
         16 . A nano particle mineral pigment as defined by  claim 15  wherein, subsequent to dry grinding but prior to wet milling, the mineral composition is subjected to an acid treatment. 
     
     
         17 . A nano particle mineral pigment as defined by  claim 15  wherein the dry ground and wet milled mineral composition is subjected to an acid treatment. 
     
     
         18 . A coating and filling mineral pigment produced by a process which comprises the sequential steps of:
 A. obtaining a beneficiated, unground mineral composition; and   B. wet milling the mineral composition under conditions of high intensity to produce a coating and filling mineral pigment,
 whereby the particles of the mineral pigment are substantially increased in surface area and substantially decreased in particle size as compared to the unground mineral composition. 
   
     
     
         19 . A coating and filling mineral pigment as defined by  claim 18  wherein, prior to wet milling, the mineral composition is subjected to dry grinding under conditions of high intensity sufficient to aggregate the particles of the ground mineral composition. 
     
     
         20 . A coating and filling mineral pigment as defined by  claim 19  wherein subsequent to dry grinding but prior to wet milling, the mineral composition is subjected to an acid treatment. 
     
     
         21 . A coating and filling mineral pigment as defined by  claim 18  wherein the dry ground and wet milled mineral composition is subjected to an acid treatment. 
     
     
         22 . A paper product coated with a composition which contains a nano particle mineral pigment as defined by  claim 14 . 
     
     
         23 . A paper product coated with a composition which contains a nano particle mineral pigment as defined by  claim 15 . 
     
     
         24 . A paper product coated with a composition which contains a nano particle mineral pigment as defined by  claim 16 . 
     
     
         25 . A paper product coated with a composition which contains a nano particle mineral pigment as defined by  claim 17 . 
     
     
         26 . A paper product coated with a composition which contains a nano particle mineral pigment as defined by  claim 18 . 
     
     
         27 . A paper product coated with a composition which contains a nano particle mineral pigment as defined by  claim 19 . 
     
     
         28 . A paper product which contains a nano particle mineral pigment as defined by  claim 20 . 
     
     
         29 . A paper product which contains a nano particle mineral pigment as defined by  claim 21 .