Functional complex microgels with rapid formation kinetics

A process for synthesizing complex functional microgels with rapid formation kinetics in an aqueous medium, comprising the steps of

• (a) preparing a transient, chemically reactive subcolloidal hydrosol having particle size larger than 10 .ANG. and smaller than 50 .ANG. by blending
• (i) an aqueous solution of at least one reagent selected from the group consisting of alkali-metal silicates and quaternary ammonium silicates with
• (ii) an aqueous solution of at least one reagent selected from the group consisting of alkali-metal aluminates and alkali-metal zincates, wherein the ratio of the reagents of (i), present in said aqueous medium at a concentration of from 0.05% to 2.5%, by weight, to the reagents of (ii), present in the aqueous medium at a concentration of from 0.05% to 2 5%, by weight, is from 1:10 to 10:1, by weight;
• and
• (b) blending an aqueous solution of at least one cross-linking agent selected from the group consisting of bivalent and multivalent inorganic salts and organic, cationically active chemical compounds with at least two reactive groups in each molecule, present in said aqueous medium at a combined concentration of up to 5.0%, by weight, with said resultant transient, chemically reactive subcolloidal hydrosol from step (a) to cross-link said chemically reactive subcolloidal hydrosol and synthesize said complex functional microgels, wherein the ratio of said said cross-linking agents from (b) to said chemically reactive subcolloidal hydrosol from (a) is from 1:10 to 10:1, by weight.