Talc composition and uses thereof

1. A molded article comprising:

a polymer composition comprising surface treated high aspect ratio talc (HART) for reinforcing the polymer composition and reducing surface defects in the molded article, wherein the polymer composition comprises 35% to 45% by weight of the surface treated HART, based on the total weight of the polymer composition;

wherein the surface treated HART comprises from about 0.1% to about 10% by weight surface treatment agent and from about 0.1% to about 10% by weight dolomite and/or magnesite, based on the weight of talc; and

wherein the surface treatment agent consists of polymeric species comprising polyether and/or polyether modified polysiloxane.

2. The molded article according to claim 1 , wherein the polymer is selected from polypropylene, polyethylene, a propylene-ethylene copolymer, or combinations thereof.

3. The molded article according to claim 1 , wherein the polymer composition further comprises filler other than the surface treated HART and selected from an alkaline earth metal carbonate or sulphate, a hydrous kandite clay, an anhydrous kandite clay, mica, perlite, feldspars, nepheline syenite, wollastonite, diatomaceous earth, barite, glass, natural or synthetic silica or silicates, and talc having a lamellarity index of less than 2.8, and combinations thereof.

4. A process for reducing surface defects in a molded article comprising:

providing a polymer composition comprising a polymer; and

combining 35% to 45% by weight of a surface treated high aspect ratio talc (HART) with the polymer, based on the total weight of the polymer composition, to reinforce the polymer composition and reduce surface defects in the molded article;

wherein the surface treated HART comprises from about 0.1% to about 10% by weight surface treatment agent and from about 0.1% to about 10% by weight dolomite and/or magnesite, based on the weight of the talc; and

wherein the surface treatment agent consists of polymeric species comprising polyether and/or polyether modified polysiloxane.

5. A method for increasing the amount of talc in a functional composition to reduce surface defects in a molded article formed using the functional composition, the method comprising:

providing a functional composition; and

incorporating 35% to 45% by weight of a surface treated high aspect ratio talc (HART) into the functional composition, based on the total weight of the functional composition,

wherein the surface treated HART comprises from about 0.1% to about 10% by weight surface treatment agent and from about 0.1% to about 10% by weight dolomite and/or magnesite, based on the weight of talc; and

wherein the surface treatment agent consists of polymeric species comprising polyether and/or polyether modified polysiloxane.

6. The molded article of claim 1 , wherein the molded article is formed via extrusion or molding.

7. The molded article of claim 1 , wherein the polymer composition has:

(i) a first unnotched Charpy impact strength (at −20° C., and/or at −10° C., and/or at 0° C.) which is greater than a second unnotched Charpy impact strength (at −20° C., and/or at −10° C., and/or at 0° C.) of a polymer composition comprising the same amount of high aspect ratio talc that has not been treated with a surface treatment agent; and/or

(ii) a first long term thermal stability (LTTS) which is greater than a second LTTS of a polymer composition comprising the same amount of high aspect ratio talc that has not been treated with a surface treatment agent.

8. The molded article according to claim 1 , wherein the polymeric species comprises one or more ether linkages.

9. The molded article according to claim 1 , wherein the HART has a lamellarity index of at least about 3.0.

10. The molded article according to claim 1 , wherein the HART has a d 50 of from about 1 to about 4 μm.

11. The molded article according to claim 8 , wherein the polymeric species comprising one or more ether linkages is a polyether or derivative thereof.

12. The molded article according to claim 1 , wherein the surface treated HART comprises from about 0.1 to about 8% by weight surface treatment agent, based on the weight of talc.

13. The molded article according to claim 1 , wherein the surface treated HART comprises from about 0.1 to about 3% by weight surface treatment agent, based on the weight of talc.

14. The molded article according to claim 1 , wherein the surface treated HART comprises from about 0.1 to about 2% by weight surface treatment agent, based on the weight of talc.

15. The molded article according to claim 1 , wherein the polymer composition comprises 37% to 45% by weight of the surface treated HART, based on the total weight of the polymer composition.

16. The process according to claim 4 , comprising combining 37% to 45% by weight of the surface treated HART, based on the total weight of the polymer composition.

17. The method according to claim 5 , comprising incorporating 37% to 45% by weight of the surface treated HART, based on the total weight of the polymer composition.

18. The molded article according to claim 1 , wherein the surface treatment agent comprises the polyether; and

wherein the polyether is polyalkylene glycol or polyalkylene oxide.

19. The molded article according to claim 1 , wherein the surface treatment agent comprises the polyether modified siloxane; and

wherein the polyether modified siloxane is PEG-modified polysiloxane.

20. The molded article according to claim 1 , wherein the surface treated HART is a synthetic talc.