# US 10,500,555 B2 · Process > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,500,555 B2 - Document ID: US10500555B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/120,523 - Filed: 2015-02-20 - Published: 2017-01-19 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2014-02-21 - Assignees: Addivant Switzerland GmbH - Applicants: Addivant Switzerland GmbH; Yantai Loncai Advanced Materials Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Jiong Yu; Peter Smith; Shengli Gao - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10500555B2 ## CPC - B01J 2/20: by expressing the material, e.g. through sieves and fragmenting the extruded length - C08K 3/26: Carbonates; Bicarbonates - C08K 5/005: {Stabilisers against oxidation, heat, light, ozone} - C08K 5/098: Metal salts of carboxylic acids - C08K 5/1345: {Carboxylic esters of phenolcarboxylic acids} - C08K 5/526: with hydroxyaryl compounds - C08K 2003/267: {Magnesium carbonate} - B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS - C08K: Use of inorganic or non-macromolecular organic substances as compounding ingredients (paints, inks, varnishes, dyes, polishes, adhesives C09) ## Abstract The present disclosure relates to a process for forming substantially dust-free additive granules, comprising the steps of: a) extruding or otherwise processing an additive or blend of additives to provide an substrate; b) cooling the substrate; c) conveying the substrate onto a profiled surface; and d) fragmenting the substrate into granules by means of a first rotating roller bearing on the substrate on the profiled surface. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A process for forming substantially dust-free additive granules, comprising the steps of: a. extruding or otherwise processing an additive or blend of additives to provide a substrate; b. cooling the substrate; c. conveying the substrate onto a profiled surface; and d. fragmenting the substrate into granules by means of a first rotating roller bearing on the substrate on the profiled surface; e. wherein the process excludes an impressing step. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the additive or blend of additives is extruded through an open-die to provide the substrate. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the first rotating roller has a profiled outer surface. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The process according to claim 3, wherein the profiles of the profiled surface and of the outer surface of the first rotating roller are complementary such that fragmentation of the substrate occurs between the complementary profiles. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The process according to claim 3, wherein the profiles of the profiled surface and of the outer surface of the first rotating roller are non-complementary such that fragmentation of the substrate occurs between the non-complementary profiles. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The process according to claim 3, wherein the profiled surface of the first rotating roller is profiled by means of one or more ridges or grooves, wherein the ridges are notched to form teeth. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the profiled surface is profiled by one or more ridges grooves, wherein the ridges are notched to form teeth. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The process according to claim 7, wherein the ridges or grooves of the profiled outer surface of the first rotating roller run parallel with the ridges or grooves of the profiled surface. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The process according to claim 6, wherein the grooves have a width of from about 1 mm to about 20 mm. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The process according to claim 6, wherein the ridges have a width of from about 1 mm to about 20 mm. ### Claim 11 (depends on 3) The process according to claim 3, wherein the profiled outer surface of the first rotating roller or the profiled surface comprises one or more teeth. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The process according to claim 11, wherein the teeth on the outer surface of the first rotating roller engage in a complementary manner with the teeth on the profiled surface. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the profiled surface is provided by an outer surface of a second roller. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The process according to claim 13, wherein the second roller is a rotating roller. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The process according to claim 14, wherein the first rotating roller and the second rotating roller counter-rotate. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein step b) is carried out using one or more cooling drums or a cooling belt. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein prior to step d) the substrate is subjected to preliminary fragmentation into smaller substrate pieces. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The process according to claim 17, wherein the preliminary fragmentation occurs during step c). ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The process according to claim 17, wherein the preliminary fragmentation is carried out using a rotating shaft with arms extending therefrom. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The process according to claim 19, wherein the arms extend perpendicularly from the rotating shaft at regular intervals along the shaft. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The process according to claim 17, wherein the smaller substrate pieces have a width or length of between about 100 mm to about 150 mm. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is cooled before or during conveyance to the profiled surface. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein dust is separated from the granules formed in step d) by sieving. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the additive granules comprise less than 15% dust by weight of the additive granules. ### Claim 25 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the particle size distribution of the additive granules is −1 in +35 mesh. ### Claim 26 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the standard deviation in particle size distribution of the additive granules is less than about 5 mm. ### Claim 27 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the additive or blend of additives comprises one or more of an antioxidant, a stabiliser, a UV absorber, a light stabiliser, an acid scavenger, a nucleating agent, a clarifying agent or a metal deactivator. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The process according to claim 27, wherein: a. the antioxidant comprises one or more of a phosphite, a phenolic compound, a polyphenolic compound, a thioester, a hydroquinone, a tocopherol, a hydroxylated thiodiphenyl ether, a O-, N- and S-benzyl compound, a hydroxybenzylated malonate, an aromatic hydroxybenzyl compound, a triazines, a benzyl phosphonate, ascorbic acid or an aminic antioxidant; b. the UV absorber or the light stabiliser comprises one or more of a benzotriazole, a benzophenone, a benzoic acid ester, an acrylate, a nickel compound, a sterically hindered amine, an oxalamide or a triazine; c. the acid scavenger comprises one or more of an epoxidised oil, a metal salt of a fatty acid, a metal oxide, a metal hydroxide, a metal carbonate, a metal salt or a hydrotalcite-like compounds; or d. the nucleating agent comprises one or more of an inorganic filler, an organic acid or a polymeric compound. ### Claim 29 (depends on 27) The process according to claim 27, wherein the additive or blend of additives further comprises one or more of a plasticiser, a lubricant, an emulsifier, a pigment, a flow agent, a catalyst, a fluorescent whitener, an antistatic agent or a blowing agent.