Inorganic substance composition and process for producing same

#The present invention relates to a novel inorganic substance composition composed of a predominant amount of a finely divided inorganic substance and a minor amount of a fiber forming synthetic polymeric material wherein said finely divided inorganic substance is incorporated so that its useful properties may effectively be utilized. It also relates to a process for producing such an inorganic substance composition.

#Attempts have been made to improve or modify the properties of organic polymeric materials by incorporating finely divided inorganic substances, and some of them are widely practiced in the manufacture of rubber, fibers, papers, molded articles, films and paints. In these fields finely divided inorganic substances are utilized as a reinforcing agent, or for the purpose of enhancing dimensional stability, rigidity, heat resistance, weatherability or printing properties, or as a filler to reduce the cost of the product. Inorganic substances have inherent properties, which cannot be seen in organic polymeric materials, such as high resistance to thermal distortion, high rigidity and high surface activity. These useful properties of inorganic substances have heretofore not been fully utilized in many cases.

#It has been found that in order to fully utilize the beneficial properties of a finely divided inorganic substance it should be present in the product in an amount of at least 50% by weight based on the weight of the product, and the product should have a specific surface area of more than 2m.sup.2 /g.

#An autoclave was charged with a mixture of 90 parts of calcium carbonate, 10 parts of high density polyethylene and 850 parts of methylene chloride, sealed, heated to a temperature of 180.degree. C. while stirring the content, and pressurized to an internal pressure of 40 kg/cm.sup.2 by introducing nitrogen. The conditions were maintained for about 10 minutes. At the end of the period, the mixture was spurted through an orifice, provided at the bottom of the autoclave and having a diameter of 1.0 mm, into the atmosphere. The product so obtained was discrete flake-like structures comprising fine porous bodies having a plurality of voids therein, the thickness of the walls forming each void being less than 5 micron, and had a specific surface area of 135 m.sup.2 /g.

#Following general procedure described in Example 1, a series of mixtures of a polymeric material, finely divided inorganic particles and a solvent as indicated in Table III, were separately spurted under spurting conditions indicated in Table III. The appearance of each product is also shown in the same Table. All the products are porous structures having numerous fine, irregular voids therein, the walls forming each void being less than 5 micron in thickness.

#Table III __________________________________________________________________________ Example Spurting Specific Surface No. Charged Composition Conditions Product Area (m.sup.2 /g) __________________________________________________________________________ High Density Polyethylene 10 parts 140.degree. C. Fine 2 Finely Divided Silicic Acid A 90 parts 60 kg/cm.sup.2 powder- 85 Methylene Chloride 800 parts Orifice Diameter like 1 mm structure High Density Polyethylene 10 parts 138.degree. C. Fine 3 Finely Divided Silicic Acid B 90 parts 80 kg/cm.sup.2 sliver- 75 Methylene Chloride 800 parts Orifice Diameter like 1.5 mm structure High Density Polyethylene 20 parts 4 Finely Divided Silicic Acid B 80 parts " " 60 Methylene Chloride 800 parts High Density Polyethylene 15 parts 150.degree. C. Fine 5 Finely Divided Silicic Acid A 85 parts 55 kg/cm.sup.2 flake- 70 Methylene Chloride 850 parts Orifice Diameter like 1 mm structure High Density Polyethylene 30 parts 150.degree. C. 6 Finely Divided Silicic Acid B 70 parts 62 kg/cm.sup.2 " 55 Methylene Chloride 800 parts Orifice Diameter 1.5 mm High Density Polyethylene 5 parts 200.degree. C. 7 Calcium Carbonate A 95 parts 60 kg/cm.sup.2 " 75 Methylene Chloride 800 parts Orifice Diameter 1 mm High Density Polyethylene 20 parts 200.degree. C. Fine 8 Calcium Carbonate B 80 parts 60 kg/cm.sup.2 flake- 85 Methylene Chloride 750 parts Orifice Diameter like 1 mm structure High Density Polyethylene 10 parts 150.degree. C. Fine 9 Magnesium Carbonate 90 parts 80 kg/cm.sup.2 sliver- 80 Methylene Chloride 800 parts Orifice Diameter like 1.5 mm structure High Density Polyethylene 20 parts 200.degree. C. Fine 10 Magnesium Carbonate 80 parts 60 kg/cm.sup.2 flake- 105 Methylene Chloride 800 parts Orifice Diameter like 1 mm structure High Density Polyethylene 15 parts 170.degree. C. 11 Magnesium Carbonate 85 parts 58 kg/cm.sup.2 " 120 Methylene Chloride 820 parts Orifice Diameter 1 mm High Density Polyethylene 30 parts 180.degree. C. 12 Diatomaceous Earth 70 parts 59 kg/cm.sup.2 " 95 Methylene Chloride 780 parts Orifice Diameter 1 mm High Density Polyethylene 5 parts 180.degree. C. 13 Diatomaceous Earth 95 parts 60 kg/cm.sup.2 " 69 Methylene Chloride 800 parts Orifice Diameter 1 mm High Density Polyethylene 5 parts 190.degree. C. Fine 14 Clay 95 parts 62 kg/cm.sup.2 flake- 90 Methylene Chloride 750 parts Orifice Diameter like 1 mm structure High Density Polyethylene 10 parts 150.degree. C. Fine 15 Talc 90 parts 60 kg/cm.sup.2 sliver- 80 Methylene Chloride 800 parts Orifice Diameter like 1 mm structure High Density Polyethylene 20 parts 150.degree. C. Fine 16 Talc 80 parts 62 kg/cm.sup.2 flake- 85 Methylene Chloride 800 parts Orifice Diameter like 1 mm structure High Density Polyethylene 10 parts 200.degree. C. 17 Finely Divided Silicic Acid A 90 parts 60 kg/cm.sup.2 " 110 Trichlorotrifluoroethane 700 parts Orifice Diameter 1 mm Crystalline Polypropylene 10 parts 140.degree. C. 18 Finely Divided Silicic Acid B 90 parts 60 kg/cm.sup.2 " 130 Methylene Chloride 780 parts Orifice Diameter 1 mm Crystalline Polypropylene 10 parts 150.degree. C. 19 Finely Divided Silicic Acid B 90 parts 62 kg/cm.sup.2 " 140 Methylene Chloride 800 parts Orifice Diameter 1 mm Crystalline Polypropylene 20 parts 175.degree. C. Fine 20 Finely Divided Silicic Acid B 80 parts 65 kg/cm.sup.2 flake- 70 Methylene Chloride 800 parts Orifice Diameter like 1 mm structure Crystalline Polypropylene 30 parts 160.degree. C. 21 Finely Divided Silicic Acid B 70 parts 62 kg/cm.sup.2 " 80 Methylene Chloride 780 parts Orifice Diameter 1 mm Crystalline Propylene 5 parts 140.degree. C. 22 Finely Divided Silicic Acid A 95 parts 60 kg/cm.sup.2 " 95 Methylene Chloride 810 parts Orifice Diameter 1 mm Crystalline Polypropylene 10 parts 150.degree. C. 23 Finely Divided Silicic Acid A 90 parts 60 kg/cm.sup.2 " 95 Methylene Chloride 810 parts Orifice Diameter 1 mm Crystalline Polypropylene 15 parts 24 Magnesium Carbonate 85 parts " " 110 Methylene Chloride 800 parts Crystalline Polypropylene 15 parts 140.degree. C. 25 Magnesium Carbonate 85 parts 65 kg/cm.sup.2 " 120 Benzene 800 parts Orifice Diameter 1.5 mm Crystalline Polypropylene 30 parts 150.degree. C. Fine 26 Magnesium Carbonate 70 parts 60 kg/cm.sup.2 flake- 105 Methylene Chloride 800 parts Orifice Diameter like 1 mm structure Crystalline Polypropylene 5 parts 140.degree. C. 27 Magnesium Carbonate 95 parts 30 kg/cm.sup.2 " 110 Methylene Chloride 820 parts Orifice Diameter 1 mm Crystalline Polypropylene 5 parts 150.degree. C. Fine 28 Calcium Carbonate 95 parts 60 kg/cm.sup.2 sliver- 60 Methylene Chloride 750 parts Orifice Diameter like 1 mm structure Crystalline Polypropylene 5 parts 160.degree. C. Fine 29 Calcium Carbonate A 95 parts 65 kg/cm.sup.2 flake- 80 Benzene 650 parts Orifice Diameter like Butane 150 parts 1 mm structure Crystalline Polypropylene 20 parts 150.degree. C. 30 Calcium Carbonate A 80 parts 60 kg/cm.sup.2 " 50 Methylene Chloride 800 parts Orifice Diameter 1 mm Crystalline Polypropylene 20 parts 145.degree. C. Finely Divided Silicic Acid/ 60 kg/cm.sup.2 31 Calcium Carbonate (3/2 by Orifice Diameter " 65 weight) 80 parts 1 mm Methylene Chloride 800 parts Crystalline Polypropylene 15 parts 160.degree. C. Fine 32 Diatomaceous Earth/Calcium 60 kg/cm.sup.2 flake 30 Carbonate (4/3 by weight) 85 parts Orifice Diameter like Methylene Chloride 800 parts 1 mm structure Crystalline Polypropylene 25 parts 33 Diatomaceous Earth 75 parts " " 25 Methylene Chloride 750 parts Crystalline Polypropylene 30 parts 150.degree. C. 34 Diatomaceous Earth 70 parts 65 kg/cm.sup.2 " 10 Methylene Chloride 800 parts Orifice Diameter 1 mm Crystalline Polypropylene 15 parts 160.degree. C. 35 Talc 85 parts 60 kg/cm.sup.2 " 20 Methylene Chloride 800 parts Orifice Diameter 1 mm Crystalline Polypropylene 15 parts 170.degree. C. 36 Clay 85 parts 60 kg/cm.sup.2 " 25 Methylene Chloride 800 parts Orifice Diameter 1 mm Crystalline Polypropylene 15 parts 190.degree. C. 37 Talc 85 parts 65 kg/cm.sup.2 " 30 Cyclohexane 800 parts Orifice Diameter 1 mm Polyethylene Terephthalate 20 parts 200.degree. C. Fine 38 Calcium Carbonate 80 parts 60 kg/cm.sup.2 flake- Methylene Chloride 150 parts Orifice Diameter like 0.5 mm structure Polyhexamethylene Adipamide 20 parts 240.degree. C. 39 Finely Divided Silicic Acid A 80 parts 65 kg/cm.sup.2 " 95 Water 500 parts Orifice Diameter 1.5 mm Polyoxymethylene 15 parts 200.degree. C. 40 Finely Divided Silicic Acid B 85 parts 60 kg/cm.sup.2 " 110 Methylene Chloride 800 parts Orifice Diameter 0.5 mm Crystalline Polypropylene 30 parts 150.degree. C. 41 Magnesium Carbonate/Calcium 55 kg/cm.sup.2 " 105 Carbonate (4/3 by weight) 70 parts Orifice Diameter Methylene Chloride 800 parts 1 mm Crystalline Polypropylene 30 parts 160.degree. C. 42 Magnesium Carbonate 65 parts 60 kg/cm.sup.2 " 85 Titanium Oxide 5 parts Orifice Diameter Methylene Chloride 800 parts 1 mm Crystalline Polypropylene 30 parts 43 Magnesium Carbonate/Talc " " 90 (4/3 by weight) 70 parts Methylene Chloride 800 parts Crystalline Polypropylene 20 parts 160.degree. C. Fine 44 Low Density Polyethylene 10 parts 58 kg/cm.sup.2 flake- 80 Finely Divided Silicic Acid B 70 parts Orifice Diameter like Methylene Chloride 800 parts 0.8 mm structure Polyacrylonitrile 20 parts 230.degree. C. Fine 45 Finely Divided Silicic Acid A 80 parts 80 kg/cm.sup.2 sliver- 105 Water 300 parts Orifice Diameter like Acetonitrile 500 parts 1 mm structure Crystalline Polypropylene 20 parts 190.degree. C. Fine Polymethyl Methacrylate 10 parts 80 kg/cm.sup.2 flake- 46 Magnesium Carbonate 70 parts Orifice Diameter like 90 Methylene Chloride 600 parts 1 mm structure Butane 200 parts Polyethylene Terephthalate 10 parts 200.degree. C. Finely Divided Silicic Acid A/ 63 kg/cm.sup.2 47 Calcium Carbonate (3/2 by Orifice Diameter " 75 weight) 90 parts 0.5 mm Methylene Chloride 200 parts High Density Polyethylene 20 parts 230.degree. C. 48 Magnesium Carbonate 80 parts 65 kg/cm.sup.2 " 80 Hexane 750 parts Orifice Diameter 1 mm Polyvinyl Chloride 20 parts 200.degree. C. Fine 49 Finely Divided Silicic Acid 80 parts 80 kg/cm.sup.2 flake- 73 Methylene Chloride 300 parts Orifice Diameter like Hexane 50 parts 0.8 mm structure Low Density Polyethylene 10 parts 180.degree. C. 50 Finely Divided Silicic Acid B 90 parts 60 kg/cm.sup.2 " 140 Methylene Chloride 500 parts Orifice Diameter 0.8 mm Low Density Polyethylene 5 parts 180.degree. C. 51 Magnesium Carbonate 95 parts 55 kg/cm.sup.2 " 140 Methylene Chloride 600 parts Orifice Diameter 0.8 mm Low Density Polyethylene 10 parts 160.degree. C. 52 Finely Divided Silicic Acid A 90 parts 60 kg/cm.sup.2 " 150 Methylene Chloride 750 parts Orifice Diameter 0.8 mm Low Density Polyethylene 15 parts 53 Diatomaceous Earth 85 parts " " 100 Methylene Chloride 700 parts __________________________________________________________________________