Basic magnesium carbonate, production method and use of the same

1. A basic magnesium carbonate comprising a tubular aggregated particle of flaky fine crystals, wherein the tubular aggregated particle has a hollow structure and said basic magnesium carbonate has hydroxyl group and water of crystallization and is represented by the formula mMgCO 3 ·Mg(OH) 2 ·nH 2 O, where m is 3 to 5 and n is 3 to 8.

2. The basic magnesium carbonate according to claim 1 , wherein the tubular aggregated particle has an internal diameter of 0.5 to 5 μm, an external diameter of 1 to 20 μm, a length of 5 to 200 μm and a ratio of length/external diameter of 2 to 50.

3. The basic magnesium carbonate according to claim 1 or 2 , which has a specific surface area of 70 to 200 m 2 /g according to a BET method.

4. The basic magnesium carbonate according to claim 1 , wherein said basic magnesium carbonate comprises pores and wherein a pore volume (A) of pores having a pore diameter of 0.01 to 100 μm is 5000 to 12000 mm 3 /g, and a ratio B/A which is a ratio of the pore volume (A) to a pore volume (B) of pores having a pore diameter of 0.5 to 5 μm is 0.45 to 0.85, in the porosimetry measured by a mercury intrusion method.

5. A method for producing a basic magnesium carbonate comprising a tubular aggregated particle of flaky fine crystals, wherein the tubular aggregated particle has a hollow structure, which comprises a first step of mixing a water soluble magnesium salt and a water soluble carbonate salt in an aqueous solution to produce a columnar particle of a normal magnesium carbonate at a temperature of 20 to 60° C., and a second step of subjecting a suspension of the columnar particles of the normal magnesium carbonate to a heat treatment at a higher temperature than the temperature in the production of the normal magnesium carbonate in the first step, and at a temperature of 35 to 80° C.

6. The method for producing a basic magnesium carbonate according to claim 5 , wherein an aqueous solution containing magnesium sulfate which is generated in a desulfurization and neutralization step by reaction of an exhaust gas with magnesium hydroxide is utilized as the water soluble magnesium salt in the first step.

7. The method for producing a basic magnesium carbonate according to claim 5 or 6 , wherein the columnar particle of the normal magnesium carbonate produced in the first step has a diameter of 0.5 to 10 μm and a length of 5 to 500 μm.

8. The method for producing a basic magnesium carbonate according to claim 5 , wherein the heat treatment of the suspension of the columnar particles of the normal magnesium carbonate in the second step is conducted at a pH of 7.5 to 11.5.

9. A method for producing a basic magnesium carbonate comprising a tubular aggregated particle of flaky fine crystals, wherein the tubular aggregated particle has a hollow structure, which comprises a first step of introducing a gas containing carbon dioxide into a suspension of magnesium hydroxide to prepare a solution of magnesium hydrogen carbonate, a second step of adjusting the solution of magnesium hydrogen carbonate to have a pH of 7.5 to 11.0 to produce a columnar particle of a normal magnesium carbonate, and a third step of adjusting a suspension of the columnar particles of the normal magnesium carbonate to have a pH of 9.0 to 12.0 and a temperature in a range of 30 to 75° C., followed by keeping the temperature within the range to produce a basic magnesium carbonate.

10. The method for producing a basic magnesium carbonate according to claim 9 , wherein the solution of magnesium hydrogen carbonate is prepared by introducing a gas containing carbon dioxide into a suspension of magnesium hydroxide which is kept at 35° C. or lower in the first step.

11. The method of producing a basic magnesium carbonate according to claim 9 or 10 , wherein the temperature in the production of the columnar particle of the normal magnesium carbonate from the solution of magnesium hydrogen carbonate is set to be 20 to 55° C. in the second step.

12. The method for producing a basic magnesium carbonate according to claim 9 , wherein the columnar particle of the normal magnesium carbonate having a diameter of 0.5 to 10 μm and a length of 5 to 500 μm is produced in the second step.

13. The method for producing a basic magnesium carbonate according to claim 9 , wherein the pH in the production of the basic magnesium carbonate from the suspension of columnar particles of the normal magnesium carbonate in the third step is set to be higher than the pH in the production of the normal magnesium carbonate in the second step.

14. The method for producing a basic magnesium carbonate according to claim 9 , wherein the tubular aggregated particle of the basic magnesium carbonate having a desired diameter and/or length is produced in the third step, by altering the diameter and/or length of the columnar particle of the normal magnesium carbonate through regulating the pH and/or temperature in the production of the normal magnesium carbonate in the second step.

15. A filler for low density paper which comprises the basic magnesium carbonate according to claim 1 , or the basic magnesium carbonate produced by a production method which comprises a first step of mixing a water soluble magnesium salt and a water soluble carbonate salt in an aqueous solution to produce a columnar particle of a normal magnesium carbonate at a temperature of 20 to 60° C., and a second step of subjecting a suspension of the columnar particles of the normal magnesium carbonate to a heat treatment at a higher temperature than the temperature in the production of the normal magnesium carbonate in the first step, and at a temperature of 35 to 80° C.

16. A low density paper which comprises the basic magnesium carbonate according to claim 1 , or a basic magnesium carbonate produced by a production method which comprises a first step of mixing a water soluble magnesium salt and a water soluble carbonate salt in an aqueous solution to produce a columnar particle of a normal magnesium carbonate at a temperature of 20 to 60° C., and a second step of subjecting a suspension of the columnar particles of the normal magnesium carbonate to a heat treatment at a higher temperature than the temperature in the production of the normal magnesium carbonate in the first step, and at a temperature of 35 to 80° C., as a filler.

17. The low density paper according to claim 16 , wherein the content of the basic magnesium carbonate is 2 to 25% by weight per absolute dry weight of the paper.

18. The low density paper according to claim 16 or 17 , which has a weighing of 25 to 75 g/m 2 , wherein the filler is included in an amount of 5 to 25% by weight per absolute dry weight of the paper, and 20 to 100% by weight of the basic magnesium carbonate is included in the filler.

19. The low density paper according to claim 16 , which has a density of 0.40 to 0.55 g/cm 3 .

20. A method for producing a low density paper which comprises the papermaking through blending the basic magnesium carbonate according to claim 1 , or a basic magnesium carbonate produced by a production method which comprises a first step of mixing a water soluble magnesium salt and a water soluble carbonate salt in an aqueous solution to produce a columnar particle of a normal magnesium carbonate at a temperature of 20 to 60° C., and a second step of subjecting a suspension of the columnar particles of the normal magnesium carbonate to a heat treatment at a higher temperature than the temperature in the production of the normal magnesium carbonate in the first step, and at a temperature of 35 to 80° C., as a filler.

21. A hollow carrier which comprises the basic magnesium carbonate according to claim 1 , or a basic magnesium carbonate produced by a production method which comprises a first step of mixing a water soluble magnesium salt and a water soluble carbonate salt in an aqueous solution to produce a columnar particle of a normal magnesium carbonate at a temperature of 20 to 60° C., and a second step of subjecting a suspension of the columnar particles of the normal magnesium carbonate to a heat treatment at a higher temperature than the temperature in the production of the normal magnesium carbonate in the first step, and at a temperature of 35 to 80° C.

22. A functional particle which comprises one or more substances encapsulated within a hollow carrier comprising the basic magnesium carbonate according to claim 1 , or a basic magnesium carbonate produced by a production method which comprises a first step of mixing a water soluble magnesium salt and a water soluble carbonate salt in an aqueous solution to produce a columnar particle of a normal magnesium carbonate at a temperature of 20 to 60° C., and a second step of subjecting a suspension of the columnar particles of the normal magnesium carbonate to a heat treatment at a higher temperature than the temperature in the production of the normal magnesium carbonate in the first step, and at a temperature of 35 to 80° C.

23. The functional particle according to claim 22 , wherein a surface of the hollow carrier encapsulating the one or more substances is covered by a polymer substance.

24. The functional particle according to claim 22 or 23 , wherein the encapsulated substance is an aromatic substance, a nutritional agent, a food additive, medicament, pesticide or fertilizer.

25. A method for preparing a functional particle, which comprises encapsulating one or more substances within a hollow carrier comprising the basic magnesium carbonate according to claim 1 , or encapsulating the one or more substances within a basic magnesium carbonate produced by a production method which comprises a first step of mixing a water soluble magnesium salt and a water soluble carbonate salt in an aqueous solution to produce a columnar particle of a normal magnesium carbonate at a temperature of 20 to 60° C., and a second step of subjecting a suspension of the columnar particles of the normal magnesium carbonate to a heat treatment at a higher temperature than the temperature in the production of the normal magnesium carbonate in the first step, and at a temperature of 35 to 80° C.

26. A method for preparing a functional particle, which comprises encapsulating one or more substances within a hollow carrier comprising the basic magnesium carbonate according to claim 1 , or encapsulating the one or more substances within a basic magnesium carbonate produced by a production method which comprises a first step of mixing a water soluble magnesium salt and a water soluble carbonate salt in an aqueous solution to produce a columnar particle of a normal magnesium carbonate at a temperature of 20 to 60° C., and a second step of subjecting a suspension of the columnar particles of the normal magnesium carbonate to a heat treatment at a higher temperature than the temperature in the production of the normal magnesium carbonate in the first step, and at a temperature of 35 to 80° C., followed by covering a surface of the functional particle with a polymer substance.

27. The method of preparing a functional particle according to claim 25 or 26 , wherein a substance to be encapsulated in a hollow carrier is at least one selected from the group consisting of an aromatic substance, a nutritional agent, a food additive, medicament, pesticide and fertilizer.

28. A composition or structure which comprises the basic magnesium carbonate according to claim 1 .

29. A composition or structure which comprises the basic magnesium carbonate according to claim 1 , produced by a production method which comprises a first step of mixing a water soluble magnesium salt and a water soluble carbonate salt in an aqueous solution to produce a columnar particle of a normal magnesium carbonate at a temperature of 20 to 60° C., and a second step of subjecting a suspension of the columnar particles of the normal magnesium carbonate to a heat treatment at a higher temperature than the temperature in the production of the normal magnesium carbonate in the first step, and at a temperature of 35 to 80° C.

30. A composition or structure which comprises the basic magnesium carbonate according to claim 1 , a functional particle which comprises one or more substances encapsulated within a hollow carrier comprising a basic magnesium carbonate, or the basic magnesium carbonate produced by a production method which comprises a first step of mixing a water soluble magnesium salt and a water soluble carbonate salt in an aqueous solution to produce a columnar particle of a normal magnesium carbonate at a temperature of 20 to 60° C., and a second step of subjecting a suspension of the columnar particles of the normal magnesium carbonate to a heat treatment at a higher temperature than the temperature in the production of the normal magnesium carbonate in the first step, and at a temperature of 35 to 80° C.

31. A composition or structure which comprises the basic magnesium carbonate according to claim 1 , or a functional particle produced by a production method which comprises bringing a hollow carrier into contact with one or more substances to thereby encapsulate the substances within the hollow carrier comprising the basic magnesium carbonate or the basic magnesium carbonate produced by the production method which comprises a first step of mixing a water soluble magnesium salt and a water soluble carbonate salt in an aqueous solution to produce a columnar particle of a normal magnesium carbonate at a temperature of 20 to 60° C., and a second step of subjecting a suspension of the columnar particles of the normal magnesium carbonate to a heat treatment at a higher temperature than the temperature in the production of the normal magnesium carbonate in the first step, and at a temperature of 35 to 80° C.