# US 4,395,456 A · Inorganic foam > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 4,395,456 A - Document ID: US4395456A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 06/222,683 - Filed: 1981-01-05 - Granted: 1983-07-26 - Earliest claimed: 1980-01-10 - Assignees: Imperial Chemical Industries PLC - Inventors: Graham V. Jackson; Terence Goulding; John A. A. Bradbury - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4395456A ## CPC - C04B 30/00: Compositions for artificial stone, not containing binders - Y10T 428/249953: Composite having voids in a component [e.g., porous, cellular, etc.] - Y10T 428/249967: Inorganic matrix in void-containing component - Y10T 428/249969: Of silicon-containing material [e.g., glass, etc.] - Y10T 428/249973: Mineral element - Y10T 428/249986: Void-containing component contains also a solid fiber or solid particle - Y10T 428/2982: Particulate matter [e.g., sphere, flake, etc.] - C04B: LIME, MAGNESIA; SLAG; CEMENTS; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF, e.g. MORTARS, CONCRETE OR LIKE BUILDING MATERIALS; ARTIFICIAL STONE {(roofing granules E04D7/005)}; CERAMICS (devitrified glass-ceramics C03C10/00); REFRACTORIES; TREATMENT OF NATURAL STONE - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A rigid inorganic foam of cellular structure comprising one or more layer minerals, and a method for making inorganic foams comprising gasifying a suspension of one or more layer minerals in a liquid medium, shaping the gasified suspension, and removing the liquid medium from the shaped gasified suspension. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A rigid inorganic foam product consisting essentially of prills of foam of one or more layer minerals, each prill being of cellular structure. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A rigid inorganic foam product as claimed in claim 1 having a density of less than 0.4 g/ml. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A rigid foam product as claimed in claim 2 having a density of less than 0.2 g/ml. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1, 2, 3) A foam product as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the prills of foam are made of delaminated vermiculite. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1, 2, 3) A foam product as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the prills of foam are made of kaolinite or a kaolin-containing clay. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1, 2, 3) A foam product as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the prills of foam are made of montmorillonite. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1, 2, 3) A foam product as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the prills of foam are made of sepiolite. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A foam product as claimed in claim 1 consisting essentially of a mixture of prills of foam of different layer minerals. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A foam product as claimed in claim 1 wherein the prills of foam are glued together by means of an adhesive. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A foam product as claimed in claim 9 wherein the adhesive is phosphoric acid or a phosphate. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) A foam product as claimed in claim 9 wherein the adhesive is sodium silicate. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) A foam product as claimed in claim 9 wherein the adhesive is an organic binder. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A foam product as claimed in claim 1 wherein the prills of foam are embedded in a cellular matrix comprising one or more layer minerals. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A foam product as claimed in claim 13 wherein the cellular matrix comprises delaminated vermiculite. ### Claim 15 A rigid inorganic foam of cellular structure consisting essentially of a mixture of layer minerals. ### Claim 16 A rigid inorganic foam of cellular structure consisting essentially of montmorillonite. ### Claim 17 A rigid inorganic foam of cellular structure consisting essentially of sepiolite. ### Claim 18 A rigid inorganic foam of cellular structure consisting essentially of a ball clay and/or a fire clay. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) A rigid inorganic foam as claimed in claim 15 having a density below 0.4 g/ml. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) A rigid inorganic foam as claimed in claim 15 consisting essentially of delaminated vermiculite and kaolinite or a kaolin-containing clay. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) A rigid inorganic foam as claimed in claim 20 consisting essentially of at least 10% by weight of delaminated vermiculite. ### Claim 22 (depends on 15) A rigid inorganic foam as claimed in claim 15 which is in the form of a laminate with one or more layers of a non-foamed material. ### Claim 23 Rigid inorganic foam prills having a cellular structure and consisting essentially of one or more layer minerals. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) Rigid inorganic foam prills as claimed in claim 23 consisting essentially of delaminated vermiculite. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) Rigid inorganic foam prills as claimed in claim 23 consisting essentially of kaolinite or kaolin-containing clay. ### Claim 26 (depends on 23) Rigid inorganic foam prills as claimed in claim 23 consisting essentially of montmorillonite. ### Claim 27 (depends on 23) Rigid inorganic foam prills as claimed in claim 23 consisting essentially of sepilite. ### Claim 28 (depends on 23) Rigid inorganic foam prills as claimed in claim 23 consisting essentially of vermiculite and kaolinite. ### Claim 29 (depends on 23) Rigid inorganic foam prills as claimed in claim 23 consisting essentially of delaminated vermiculite and kaolinite. ### Claim 30 (depends on 23) Rigid inorganic foam prills as claimed in claim 23 coated with a binding agent or adhesive. ### Claim 31 (depends on 23) Rigid inorganic foam prills as claimed in claim 23 having a density of less than 0.4 g/ml. ### Claim 32 (depends on 25) Rigid inorganic prills as claimed in claim 25 having a density of less than 0.2 g/ml. ### Claim 33 A suspension of two or more layer minerals in an aqueous solution of a surface active agent. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) A suspension as claimed in claim 33 wherein one of the layer minerals is delaminated vermiculite. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) A suspension as claimed in claim 34 of delaminated vermiculite and kaolinite or a kaolin-containing clay. ### Claim 36 A suspension of one or more layer minerals selected from kaolinite, or a kaolin-containing clay, montmorilloite and sepiolite in an aqueous solution of a surface active agent, wherein the surface active agent is one capable of forming a stable foam from the layer mineral(s). ### Claim 37 A dry powder comprising two or more layer minerals and a surface active agent. ### Claim 38 A dry powder comprising kaolinite or a kaolin-containing clay, montmorillonite or sepiolite and a surface active agent.