Process for manufacturing titanium dioxide pigments using ultrasonication

1. A process for manufacturing a titanium dioxide pigment, the process comprising the steps of:

(a) preparing an aqueous slurry of titanium dioxide particles;

(b) after step (a), milling the aqueous slurry of titanium dioxide particles;

(c) after step (b), treating the titanium dioxide particles to deposit at least one hydrous metal oxide coating thereon; and

(d) after step (c), deagglomerating the aqueous slurry of coated titanium dioxide particles using ultrasonication.

2. The process of claim 1 , wherein the titanium dioxide particles are produced by either a sulfate process or a chloride process.

3. The process of claim 1 , further comprising:

filtering and washing the coated titanium dioxide particles.

4. The process of claim 3 , further comprising:

prior to the deagglomerating step, dispersing the titanium dioxide particles in an aqueous medium to provide a slurry comprising from about 30 percent to about 60 percent by weight of said titanium dioxide particles, based on the total weight of the slurry.

5. The process of claim 1 , further comprising:

drying the deagglomerated titanium dioxide particles to provide a dry titanium dioxide pigment powder.

6. The process of claim 5 , further comprising:

milling the dry titanium dioxide pigment powder.

7. The process of claim 1 , wherein the aqueous slurry formed in step (a) comprises from about five percent by weight to about 65 percent by weight of said titanium dioxide particles, based on the total weight of the aqueous slurry.

8. The process of claim 1 , wherein the aqueous slurry formed in step (a) comprises from about 15 percent by weight to about 45 percent by weight of said titanium dioxide particles, based on the total weight of the aqueous slurry.

9. The process of claim 1 , wherein the aqueous slurry formed in step (a) comprises from 25 percent by weight to about 40 percent by weight of said titanium dioxide particles, based on the total weight of the aqueous slurry.

10. The process of claim 1 , wherein the hydrous metal oxide is selected from the group consisting of aluminum, boron, phosphorus, silicon, titanium, and zirconium.

11. The process of claim 10 , wherein the hydrous metal oxide is deposited on said titanium dioxide particles in an amount from about 0.5 percent by weight to about 25 percent by weight based on the total weight of said titanium dioxide particles.

12. The process of claim 1 , wherein the hydrous metal oxide is deposited on said titanium dioxide particles in an amount from about 0.5 percent by weight to about 25 percent by weight based on the total weight of said titanium dioxide particles.

13. The process of claim 1 , wherein said slurry is milled for a time sufficient to cause at least 94 percent of the titanium dioxide particles to have a particle size of less than or equal to 0.63 microns.

14. The process of claim 1 , wherein the deagglomeration step using ultrasonication is carried out for a time sufficient to cause the titanium dioxide particles to have a predetermined particle size.

15. A process of manufacturing a titanium dioxide pigment, the process comprising the steps of:

(a) preparing an aqueous slurry of titanium dioxide particles;

(b) after step (a), milling the aqueous slurry;

(c) treating the milled titanium dioxide particles to deposit at least one hydrous metal oxide coating thereon;

(d) deagglomerating the coated titanium dioxide pigment particles using ultrasonication;

(e) after step (d), milling the deagglomerated particles with a fluid-energy mill.

16. The process of claim 15 , wherein the titanium dioxide particles are produced by either a sulfate process or a chloride process.

17. The process of claim 15 , further comprising:

before the deagglomerating of step (d), dispersing the titanium dioxide particles in an aqueous medium to provide an aqueous slurry comprising from about 30 percent to about 60 percent by weight of said titanium dioxide particles, based on the total weight of the slurry.

18. The process of claim 15 , wherein the aqueous slurry formed in step (a) comprises from about five percent by weight to about 65 percent by weight of said titanium dioxide particles, based on the total weight of the aqueous slurry.

19. The process of claim 15 , wherein the aqueous slurry formed in step (a) comprises from about 15 percent by weight to about 45 percent by weight of said titanium dioxide particles, based on the total weight of the aqueous slurry.

20. The process of claim 15 , wherein the aqueous slurry formed in step (a) comprises from 25 percent by weight to about 40 percent by weight of said titanium dioxide particles, based on the total weight of the aqueous slurry.

21. The process of claim 15 , wherein the hydrous metal oxide is selected from the group consisting of aluminum, boron, phosphorus, silicon, titanium, and zirconium.

22. The process of claim 15 , wherein the hydrous metal oxide is deposited on said titanium dioxide particles in an amount from about 0.5 percent by weight to about 25 percent by weight based on the total weight of said titanium dioxide particles.

23. A process of manufacturing a titanium dioxide pigment, the process comprising the steps of:

(a) preparing an aqueous slurry of titanium dioxide particles;

(b) after step (a), deagglomerating the aqueous slurry using ultrasonication;

(c) after step (b), treating the titanium dioxide particles to deposit at least one hydrous metal oxide coating thereon; and

(d) after step (c), deagglomerating the coated titanium dioxide pigment particles using ultrasonication.

24. The process of claim 23 , further comprising the step of, after step (a) and prior to step (c), milling the aqueous slurry.

25. The process of claim 23 , further comprising:

after step (c), dispersing the coated titanium dioxide particles in an aqueous medium to provide a slurry comprising from about 30 percent to about 60 percent by weight of said titanium dioxide particles, based on the total weight of the slurry.