# US 10,440,934 B2 · Low density compositions with synergistic absorbance properties

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- Number: US 10,440,934 B2
- Document ID: US10440934B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/505,007
- Filed: 2015-08-19
- Published: 2017-09-21
- Granted: 2019-10-15
- Earliest claimed: 2014-08-26
- Assignees: Ep Minerals, LLC
- Applicants: EP Minerals, LLC
- Inventors: Chongjun Jiang; Pragati Galhotra; Scott Kevin Palm; Wilson Kamau Wanene; Sean Spencer Crow; Vishal Gupta; Kara Linn Evanoff
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10440934B2

## CPC

- A01K 1/0154: {comprising inorganic material}
- A01K 1/0155: {comprising organic material}
- B01J 20/10: comprising silica or silicate
- B01J 20/12: Naturally occurring clays or bleaching earth
- B01J 20/14: Diatomaceous earth
- B01J 20/165: {Natural alumino-silicates, e.g. zeolites}
- B01J 20/18: Synthetic zeolitic molecular sieves
- B01J 20/28004: {Sorbent size or size distribution, e.g. particle size}
- B01J 20/28011: {Other properties, e.g. density, crush strength}
- B01J 20/30: Processes for preparing, regenerating, or reactivating
- C09K 3/32: for absorbing liquids to remove pollution, e.g. oil, gasoline, fat
- B01J 2220/42: Materials comprising a mixture of inorganic materials (materials coated or impregnated on a carrier B01J20/32)
- A01K: ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
- B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
- C09K: MATERIALS FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE

## Abstract

A composition comprising a physical blend of discrete particulates such that the liquid absorbency is greater than the individual components and is greater than the expected absorbency based on the rule of mixtures. A composition comprising diatomaceous earth which may have a clump strength greater than 75% and in which the dry density may be less than 880 kg/m3 (55 lb/ft3). The compositions exhibit synergistic absorbance, light density, high clump strength, low dustiness, and are suitable for industrial and household absorption and solidification, animal litter, and soil amendment.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A composition comprising:
discrete particles of diatomaceous earth; and
discrete particles of sodium bentonite,
wherein the composition has:
a clump strength greater than about 75%,
a dry density less than about 880 kg/m3, and
an absorbency per unit weight that exceeds a weighted average absorbency of the discrete particles of diatomaceous earth and the discrete particles of sodium bentonite by more than about 50%.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The composition of claim 1, wherein the quartz content is less than about 20%.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The composition of claim 1, wherein the discrete particles of diatomaceous earth contain a moisture content between about 5% to about 50%.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The composition of claim 1, further comprising one or more of hectorite, attapulgite, sodium-beneficiated calcium bentonite, zeolite or combinations thereof.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition has an arsenic concentration less than about 17 ppm.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The composition of claim 1, wherein the absorbency per unit weight of the composition exceeds the weighted average absorbency by more than 100%.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition is self-clumping, and has an absorbency in the range of about 170% to about 500%.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The composition of claim 7, wherein the composition has a quartz content less than about 15%.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The composition of claim 7 further comprising zeolite.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The composition of claim 7, wherein the composition has a moisture content greater than about 2.5% and less than about 50%.