# US 10,370,540 B2 · Inorganic pigments surface treated with polyol esters > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,370,540 B2 - Document ID: US10370540B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/851,634 - Filed: 2015-09-11 - Published: 2017-03-16 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2015-09-11 - Assignees: Tronox LLC - Applicants: Tronox LLC - Inventors: Venkata Rama Rao Goparaju; Vahid Kazerooni - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10370540B2 ## CPC - C09C 3/08: Treatment with low-molecular-weight {non-polymer} organic compounds {(C09C3/006, C09C3/048 take precedence)} - C08K 9/04: Ingredients treated with organic substances {(treated with macromolecular compounds C08K9/08)} - C08K 9/08: Ingredients agglomerated by treatment with a binding agent - C09C 1/3669: {Treatment with low-molecular organic compounds} - C09C 3/12: Treatment with organosilicon compounds {(C09C3/006 takes precedence)} - C08K 2003/2241: {Titanium dioxide} - C09C: TREATMENT OF INORGANIC MATERIALS, OTHER THAN FIBROUS FILLERS, TO ENHANCE THEIR PIGMENTING OR FILLING PROPERTIES (treatment of materials specially adapted to enhance their filling properties in mortars, concrete or artificial stone C04B14/00, C04B18/00, C04B20/00); PREPARATION OF CARBON BLACK {; PREPARATION OF INORGANIC MATERIALS WHICH ARE NO SINGLE CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS AND WHICH ARE MAINLY USED AS PIGMENTS OR FILLERS} - C08K: Use of inorganic or non-macromolecular organic substances as compounding ingredients (paints, inks, varnishes, dyes, polishes, adhesives C09) ## Abstract A treated, particulate inorganic pigment is provided. The treated, particulate inorganic pigment comprises a plurality of pigment particles, and a polyol ester deposited on the surfaces of the pigment particles. A method of forming a treated, particulate inorganic pigment and a polymer composition are also provided. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A treated, particulate inorganic pigment, comprising: a plurality of pigment particles; and a trimethylolpropane polyester deposited on the surfaces of said pigment particles, wherein said trimethylolpropane polyester is formed by reacting at least one fatty acid with trimethylolpropane, said fatty acid(s) being selected from saturated, straight chain fatty acids and saturated, branched chain fatty acids and functioning to fully esterify said trimethylolpropane to form said trimethylolpropane polyester. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The treated, particulate inorganic pigment of claim 1, wherein said pigment particles are formed of a pigment selected from the group consisting of titanium dioxide, basic carbonate white lead, basic sulfate white lead, basic silicate white lead, zinc sulfide, composite pigments of zinc sulfide and barium sulfate, zinc oxide, antimony oxide, iron oxide, lead oxide, aluminum oxide, silicon dioxide, chromium oxide, zirconium oxide, calcium carbonate, calcium sulfate, china clay, kaolin clay, mica, diatomaceous earth, cadmium sulfide, cadmium selenide, lead chromate, zinc chromate, nickel titanate, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The treated, particulate inorganic pigment of claim 2, wherein said pigment particles are formed of titanium dioxide. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The treated, particulate inorganic pigment of claim 1, further comprising at least one inorganic coating selected from the group consisting of metal oxide coatings, metal hydroxide coatings, and mixtures thereof, said coating being deposited on the surfaces of said pigment particles. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The treated, particulate inorganic pigment of claim 1, wherein said fatty acid has from 6 to 24 carbon atoms. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The treated, particulate inorganic pigment of claim 1, wherein said fatty acid is selected from the group consisting of trimethyl hexanoic acid, octanoic acid, decanoic acid, dodecanoic acid, myristic acid, stearic acid, caprylic acid, capric acid, lauric acid, palmitic acid, arachic acid, behenic acid, adipic acid, sebacic acid, azelaic acid, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The treated, particulate inorganic pigment of claim 6, wherein said fatty acid is selected from the group consisting of caprylic acid, capric acid, lauric acid, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The treated, particulate inorganic pigment of claim 1, wherein said fatty acid is a fatty acid that has been reacted with a silicone compound to form a fatty acid modified silicone. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The treated, particulate inorganic pigment of claim 1, wherein said fatty acid is hydroxy-free. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The treated, particulate inorganic pigment of claim 1, wherein said trimethylolpropane polyester is formed by reacting at least one hydroxy-free fatty acid with trimethylolpropane, said hydroxy-free fatty acid being selected from the group of trimethyl hexanoic acid, octanoic acid, decanoic acid, dodecanoic acid, myristic acid, stearic acid, caprylic acid, capric acid, lauric acid, palmitic acid, arachic acid, behenic acid, adipic acid, sebacic acid, azelaic acid, a hydroxy-free fatty acid modified silicone, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The treated, particulate inorganic pigment of claim 1, wherein said trimethylolpropane polyester is selected from the group consisting of trimethylolpropane trilaurate, trimethylolpropane tricocoate, trimethylolpropane tristearate, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The treated, particulate inorganic pigment of claim 1, wherein said trimethylolpropane polyester is deposited on the surfaces of said pigment particles in an amount in the range of from about 0.2% to about 2.0% by weight, based on the total weight of said pigment particles. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The treated, particulate inorganic pigment of claim 1, wherein said polyol ester is a trimethylolpropane ester. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The treated, particulate inorganic pigment of claim 1, wherein said polyol ester is a pentaerythritol ester. ### Claim 15 A treated, particulate inorganic pigment, comprising: a plurality of titanium dioxide pigment particles; and a trimethylolpropane polyester deposited on the surfaces of said pigment particles, said trimethylolpropane polyester being formed by reacting at least one hydroxy-free fatty acid with trimethylolpropane, wherein said hydroxy-free fatty acid(s) has from 6 to 24 carbon atoms, is selected from saturated, straight chain fatty acids and saturated, branched chain fatty acids and functions to fully esterify said trimethylolpropane to form said trimethylolpropane polyester. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The treated, particulate inorganic pigment of claim 15, wherein said hydroxy-free fatty acid is selected from the group consisting of trimethyl hexanoic acid, octanoic acid, decanoic acid, dodecanoic acid, myristic acid, caprylic acid, capric acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, arachic acid, behenic acid, adipic acid, sebacic acid and azelaic acid and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The treated, particulate inorganic pigment of claim 15, wherein said hydroxy-free fatty acid is a hydroxy-free fatty acid that has been reacted with a silicone compound to form a fatty acid modified silicone. ### Claim 18 A method of forming a treated, particulate inorganic pigment, comprising: providing a plurality of pigment particles; providing a trimethylolpropane polyester, wherein said trimethylolpropane polyester is formed by reacting at least one hydroxy-free fatty acid with trimethylolpropane, said hydroxy-free fatty acid(s) being selected from saturated, straight chain fatty acids and saturated, branched chain fatty acids and functioning to fully esterify the trimethylolpropane to form said trimethylolpropane polyester; and depositing said trimethylolpropane polyester on the surfaces of said pigment particles. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein said pigment particles are titanium dioxide particles. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein said fatty acid(s) is selected from the group consisting of trimethyl hexanoic acid, octanoic acid, decanoic acid, dodecanoic acid, myristic acid, caprylic acid, capric acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, arachic acid, behenic acid, adipic acid, sebacic acid, azelaic acid and a fatty acid that has been reacted with a silicone compound to form a fatty acid modified silicone, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein said trimethylolpropane polyester is deposited on the surfaces of said pigment particles by mixing said trimethylolpropane polyester with said pigment particles in an aqueous slurry and drying said slurry. ### Claim 22 A polymer composition, comprising: at least one polymer; and a treated, particulate inorganic pigment, said pigment including: a plurality of pigment particles; and a polyol ester deposited on the surfaces of said pigment particles, wherein said polyol ester is formed by reacting at least one hydroxy-free fatty acid with a polyhydric alcohol having at least 6 carbon atoms, said hydroxy-free fatty acid(s) being selected from saturated, straight chain fatty acids and saturated, branched chain fatty acids and functioning to fully esterify the polyhydric alcohol to form said polyol ester. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The polymer composition of claim 22, wherein said polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyolefins, acrylic resins, polyester resins, polyamide resins, styrenic resins, polyvinyl chloride, polycarbonate resins, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The polymer composition of claim 23, wherein said polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, poly(methyl methacrylate), polyethylene terephthalate, polyamide resins, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer, polyvinyl chloride, polycarbonate resins, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 25 (depends on 22) The polymer composition of claim 22, wherein said treated, particulate inorganic pigment is present in said polymer composition in an amount in the range of from about 30% to about 80% by weight based on the total weight of the polymer composition. ### Claim 26 (depends on 22) The polymer composition of claim 22, wherein said polyol ester is formed by reacting at least one hydroxy-free fatty acid with a polyhydric alcohol selected from the group consisting of trimethylolpropane, pentaerythritol, mannitol, sorbitol, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The polymer composition of claim 26, wherein said polyhydric alcohol is trimethylolpropane.