Unexpanded perlite ore polishing composition and methods

A polishing composition comprising:

• a base material including grains of unexpanded perlite ore having a selected distribution of particle sizes which range from about 5 μm to about 245 μm, said selected distribution at 50% by volume of grains of unexpanded perlite having a particle size of about 10 μm to about 120 μm, said base material being responsive to a abrasive force being applied to the base material during polishing resulting in continued fracturing of the grains of unexpanded perlite to yield a final polishing composition with a distribution of particle sizes having a greater number of grains of perlite having a smaller particle size than the number of grains of perlite having a smaller particle size in said selected distribution and wherein said final polishing composition has a sufficiently low level of abrasiveness making suitable for use in polishing.

A unexpanded perlite ore composition comprising a base material having grains of a unexpanded perlite ore of a selected particle size which undergo fracturing of the grains as a function of an abrasive force applied to the base material, said selected distribution of particle size has a (d90) a particle size of about 60 μm to about 245 μm, said base material being responsive to an abrasive force being applied thereto during polishing resulting in continued fracturing of the grains of perlite ore to yield a final polishing composition with a distribution of particle sizes with a greater number of grains of perlite ore having a smaller particle size than the number of grains of perlite ore having a smaller particles size in said selected distribution and wherein said final polishing composition has a sufficiently low level of abrasiveness making it suitable for use in polishing.

A method for polishing a surface of an article comprising

• applying to a surface of an article to be polished a quantity of a unexpanded perlite ore polishing composition comprising a base unexpanded perlite ore material having grains of unexpanded perlite ore of a selected distribution of particle sizes which result in continued fracturing of the grains as a function of an abrasive force applied to the base material, said grains of unexpanded perlite ore have a selected distribution of particle sizes wherein substantially all of the grains have particle sizes of less than about 245 μm;
• applying an abrasive force to said base material resulting in the continued fracturing of the grains of unexpanded perlite ore to yield a final polishing composition having a distribution of particle sizes of less than about 50 μm and a sufficiently low level of abrasiveness making it suitable for use in polishing the surface of an article.

A method for polishing a surface of an article comprising

• applying to a surface of an article to be polished a quantity of a unexpanded perlite ore polishing composition comprising a base composition having a first base perlite ore material having grains of unexpanded perlite ore of a first selected distribution of particle size which results in continued fracturing of the grains as a function of an abrasive force applied thereto, said selected particle size having a (d90) of less than about 128 μm and a second base unexpanded perlite ore material having grains of unexpanded perlite ore having a second selected distribution of particle sizes which results in continued fracturing of the grains as a function of an abrasive force applied to the base composition, said second selected distribution of particle sizes having a (d90) of less than about 82 μm;
• and
• applying an abrasive force to said base composition fracturing the grains of unexpanded perlite ore to yield a final polishing composition having grains of unexpanded perlite ore having particle sizes of less than about 50 μm and a sufficiently low level of abrasiveness making it suitable for use in polishing the surface of an article.

A method of preparing an unexpanded perlite ore polishing composition comprising the steps of:

• crushing and milling a perlite ore to from a source of unexpanded perlite ore having grains of a wide range of particle sizes;
• and
• sorting the unexpanded perlite ore grains to form a base material of grains having a selected distribution of particle sizes.

In combination,

• a polishing composition comprising
• a base material having grains of unexpanded perlite ore of a selected distribution of particle sizes which undergo fracturing of the grains as a function of an abrasive force applied to the base material, said selected distribution of particle sizes including a significant volume of grains of unexpanded perlite ore having a particle size of less than about 245 μm, said base material being responsive to an abrasive force being applied thereto during polishing resulting in continued fracturing of the grains of unexpanded perlite ore to yield a final polishing composition having a sufficiently low level of abrasiveness under said abrasive force making it suitable for use in polishing
• a filler material comprising grains of expanded perlite material having a density in the range of about 2 lbs. per cubic feet and about 20 lbs. per cubic feet.

A strip material for polishing teeth comprising

• a strip member configured for polishing teeth;
• and
• a base material incorporated into said strip material wherein the base material includes grains of unexpanded perlite ore of a selected distribution of particle sizes which undergo fracturing of the grains as a function of an abrasive force applied to the base material, said selected distribution of particle sizes including a significant volume of grains of unexpanded perlite ore having a particle size of less than about 245 μm, said base material being responsive to an abrasive force being applied thereto during polishing resulting in continued fracturing of the grains of unexpanded perlite ore to yield a final polishing composition having a sufficiently low level of abrasiveness under said abrasive force making it suitable for use in polishing.