Granted Patent B2

US 7,449,503 · App. 10/967,540 · Granted Nov 11, 2008

Abstract

Claims (39)

1. A composition comprising glass spheres, the spheres comprising on average a total gas bubble volume of between 10 and 12% relative to an average sphere volume, and wherein the spheres have a d50 of between 5 and 100 μm and at least 10% by number of the spheres incorporate at least two gas bubbles.

2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the spheres have an average density of at least 1.10 g/cc.

3. A composition comprising glass spheres, the spheres comprising on average a total gas bubble volume of at least 8% and at most 35% relative to an average sphere volume, wherein the spheres have a d50 of between 5 and 100 μm and at least 10% by number of the spheres incorporate at least two gas bubbles; and wherein the spheres have an average density between 1.90 and 2.51 g/cc.

4. The composition of claim 3 , wherein at least 20% of the spheres incorporate at least two gas bubbles.

5. The composition of claim 3 , wherein a fraction of the spheres have a size of 10 μm or larger, at least 12% of said fraction comprising at least two bubbles.

6. The composition of claim 3 , wherein a fraction of the spheres have a size of 10 μm or larger, at least 30% of said fraction incorporating at least two bubbles.

7. The composition of claim 3 , wherein the total gas bubble volume is between 8 and 20% relative to the average sphere volume.

8. The composition of claim 3 , wherein the spheres have an average density between 2.15 and 2.30 g/cc.

9. The composition of claim 3 , wherein the spheres have a d50 of between 10 and 50 μm.

10. The composition of claim 3 , wherein the spheres have a d50 of between 20 and 40 μm.

11. The composition of claim 3 , wherein the spheres comprise an A-type glass.

12. The composition of claim 3 , wherein the spheres comprise an E-type glass.

13. The composition of claim 3 , wherein the spheres comprise a borosilicate glass.

14. The composition of claim 3 , wherein the spheres comprise a glass having a refractive index of at least 1.6.

15. The composition of claim 3 , wherein the spheres have a volume loss, after pressurization to 3000 psi, of at most 4%.

16. The composition of claim 3 , wherein the spheres have a volume loss, after pressurization to 3000 psi, of at most 3%.

17. The composition of claim 3 , wherein the spheres provide a Hunter L value of at least 60 when incorporated at a 25 wt level in a cured polyester composite.

18. The composition of claim 3 , wherein the spheres provide a Hunter L value of at least 70 when incorporated at a 25 wt % level in a cured polyester composite.

19. The composition of claim 3 , wherein at least 20% of the spheres comprise at least two gas bubbles and the spheres have a d50 of between 10 and 50 μm.

20. The composition of claim 3 , further comprising at least one polymer, wherein the spheres constitute between 1 and 60 wt % of the composition and the at least one polymer constitutes at least 40 wt % of the composition.

21. The composition of claim 20 , wherein the at least one polymer comprises a thermoplastic polymer.

22. The composition of claim 21 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer comprises a polyamide, a polyacrylate, polypropylene, polyethylene, an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene resin, or a mixture of any of these.

23. The composition of claim 20 , wherein the at least one polymer comprises a thermosetting polymer.

24. The composition of claim 23 , wherein the thermosetting polymer comprises a cured or uncured polyurethane, a cured or uncured polyurea, an epoxy resin, an amine hardener, or a cured epoxy resin.

25. The composition of claim 20 , wherein the at least one polymer comprises a cured or uncured unsaturated polyester.

26. A composition comprising glass spheres, the spheres comprising on average a total gas bubble volume of at least 8% and at most 35% relative to an average sphere volume, wherein the spheres have a d50 of between 5 and 100 μm and at least 10% by number of the spheres incorporate at least two gas bubbles; the composition further comprising a liquid carrier and at least one film-forming polymer.

27. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the spheres have a d50 of between 10 and 50 μm.

28. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the spheres have a d50 of between 20 and 40 μm.

29. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the spheres comprise an A-type glass.

30. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the spheres comprise an E-type glass.

31. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the spheres comprise a borosilicate glass.

32. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the spheres provide a Hunter L value of at least 60 when incorporated at a 25 wt % level in a cured polyester composite.

33. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the spheres provide a Hunter L value of at least 70 when incorporated at a 25 wt % level in a cured polyester composite.

34. The composition of claim 1 , further comprising at least one polymer, wherein the spheres constitute between 1 and 60 wt % of the composition and the at least one polymer constitutes at least 40 wt % of the composition.

35. The composition of claim 34 , wherein the at least one polymer comprises a thermoplastic polymer.

36. The composition of claim 35 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer comprises a polyamide, a polyacrylate, polypropylene, polyethylene, an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene resin, or a mixture of any of these.

37. The composition of claim 34 , wherein the at least one polymer comprises a thermosetting polymer.

38. The composition of claim 37 , wherein the thermosetting polymer comprises a cured or uncured polyurethane, a cured or uncured polyurea, an epoxy resin, an amine hardener, or a cured epoxy resin.

39. The composition of claim 34 , wherein the at least one polymer comprises a cured or uncured unsaturated polyester.

Assignments (25)