Use of surface modified calcium carbonate in adhesives, sealants and/or caulks

1. An adhesive, sealant or caulk comprising surface modified calcium carbonate as a filler, wherein the surface modified calcium carbonate is a mineral pigment product formed in situ by the double and/or multiple reaction between a calcium carbonate and the reaction product or products of the carbonate with gaseous CO 2 formed in situ and/or coming from an external supply, and the reaction product or products of the carbonate with one or more moderately strong to strong H 3 O + ion donors, and at least one aluminium silicate and/or at least one synthetic silica and/or at least one calcium silicate and/or at least one silicate of a monovalent salt and/or at least one aluminium hydroxide and/or at least one sodium and/or potassium aluminate.

2. The adhesive, sealant or caulk according to claim 1 , wherein the silicate of a monovalent salt is sodium silicate, potassium silicate, or lithium silicate.

3. The adhesive, sealant or caulk according to claim 1 , wherein the calcium carbonate is natural ground calcium carbonate, precipitated calcium carbonate, or a mixture of natural ground calcium carbonate with one or more of talc, kaolin, titanium dioxide, magnesium oxide or any mineral that is inert to treatment with a moderately strong to strong H 3 O + ion donors.

4. The adhesive, sealant or caulk according to claim 1 , wherein the calcium carbonate comprises marble, calcite, chalk, dolomite or any mixture thereof

5. The adhesive, sealant or caulk according to claim 1 , wherein the strong H 3 O + ion donors are strong acids or any mixture thereof generating H 3 O + ions, acids having a pK a of less than or equal to zero at 22° C., sulphuric acid, hydrochloric acid or any mixture thereof, and the moderately strong H 3 O + ion donors are acids having a pK a of from 0 to 2.5 at 22° C., H 2 SO 3 , HSO 4 − , H 3 PO 4 , oxalic acid or any mixture thereof, acids forming bivalent cation salts, or acids forming calcium salts.

6. The adhesive, sealant or caulk according to claim 1 , wherein the surface modified calcium carbonate has a BET specific surface area of 25 m 2 /g to 200 m 2 /g measured according to ISO 9277.

7. The adhesive, sealant or caulk according to claim 1 , wherein the surface modified calcium carbonate has a BET specific surface area of 30 m 2 /g to 80 m 2 /g measured according to ISO 9277.

8. The adhesive, sealant or caulk according to claim 1 , wherein the surface modified calcium carbonate has a BET specific surface area of 35 m 2 /g to 60 m 2 /g measured according to ISO 9277.

9. The adhesive, sealant or caulk according to claim 1 , wherein the surface modified calcium carbonate has a volume median particle diameter d 50 of from 0.1 to 50 μm.

10. The adhesive, sealant or caulk according to claim 1 , wherein the surface modified calcium carbonate has a volume median particle diameter d 50 of from 1 to 10 μm.

11. The adhesive, sealant or caulk according to claim 1 , wherein the surface modified calcium carbonate has a volume median particle diameter d 50 of from 1.5 to 5 μm.

12. The adhesive, sealant or caulk according to claim 1 , wherein the surface modified calcium carbonate is in a dry form or in a form of an aqueous suspension having a pH greater than 7.5 measured at 20° C.

13. The adhesive, sealant or caulk according to claim 1 , wherein the surface modified calcium carbonate comprises a cationic, an anionic, and/or a weakly anionic electrolyte.

14. The adhesive, sealant or caulk according to claim 1 , which comprises one or more of acrylic, polyurethane, polysulfide, silyl-terminated polyether or polyurethane, silicone, or silicone modified resins or binders.

15. The adhesive, sealant or caulk according to claim 1 , which is water-based, solvent-based or does not contain any solvent.

16. The adhesive, sealant or caulk according to claim 1 , which comprises one or more of binders, rubber, adhesion promoters, pigments and fillers.

17. The adhesive, sealant or caulk according to claim 1 , wherein the surface modified calcium carbonate is the only filler or is used in combination with one or more additional fillers.

18. The adhesive, sealant or caulk according to claim 1 , wherein the surface modified calcium carbonate accounts for 5 to 100 wt % of the total filler amount.

19. The adhesive, sealant or caulk according to claim 1 , wherein the surface modified calcium carbonate accounts for 10 to 40 wt % of the total filler amount.

20. The adhesive, sealant or caulk according to claim 1 , wherein the surface modified calcium carbonate accounts for 20 to 30 wt % of the total filler amount.

21. A method of producing an adhesives, sealant or caulk comprising the steps of:

a) providing an adhesive, sealant or caulk formulation,

b) providing surface modified calcium carbonate, wherein the surface modified calcium carbonate is a mineral pigment product formed in situ by the double and/or multiple reaction between a calcium carbonate and the reaction product or products of the carbonate with gaseous CO 2 formed in situ and/or coming from an external supply, and the reaction product or products of the carbonate with one or more moderately strong to strong H 3 O + ion donors, and at least one aluminium silicate and/or at least one synthetic silica and/or at least one calcium silicate and/or at least one silicate of a monovalent salt and/or at least one aluminium hydroxide and/or at least one sodium and/or potassium aluminate, and

c) combining the surface modified calcium carbonate with the adhesive, sealant or caulk formulation.

22. An adhesive, sealant or caulk obtained by the method of claim 21 .