US 6,172,121 B2 · Process for preparing organoclays for aqueous and polar-organic systems

Abstract

A process for preparing organoclays as thixotropic agents to control the rheology of water-based paints and other aqueous and polar-organic systems. The process relates to treating low-grade clay ores to achieve highly purified organoclays and/or to incorporate surface modifying agents onto the clay by adsorption and/or to produce highly dispersed organoclays without excessive grinding or high shear dispersion. The process involves the treatment of impure, or run-of-mine, clay using an aqueous biphasic extraction system to produce a highly dispersed clay, free of mineral impurities and with modified surface properties brought about by adsorption of the water-soluble polymers used in generating the aqueous biphasic extraction system. This invention purifies the clay to greater than 95%.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A process for preparing organoclays for use in aqueous systems, the process comprising the steps of:

crushing clay ore to less than about 100 mesh;
dispersing the clay ore in a polymer-rich phase of an aqueous biphasic extraction system;
adsorbing a polymer onto clay of the clay ore;
mixing the polymer-rich phase containing dispersed clay ore with an aqueous salt solution;
separating the polymer-rich phase from the aqueous salt solution;
recovering organoclay from the polymer-rich phase by a step of flocculation;
washing the organoclay to remove excess polymer;
and
drying the organoclay.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Process for preparing organoclays for aqueous and polar-organic systems

Life of this patent

Process for preparing organoclays for aqueous and polar-organic systems

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16