Stir-in titanium dioxide pigment composition

1. A stir-in titanium dioxide pigment composition for use in a waterborne latex paint formulation, comprising:

a plurality of titanium dioxide particles; and

a dispersant package deposited on the surfaces of said titanium dioxide particles in an amount of no greater than about 5% by weight based on the combined weight of said titanium dioxide particles and said dispersant package, said dispersant package including:

at least one non-volatile neutralizing agent selected from the group consisting of organic compounds having at least one amine functional group and at least one hydroxy functional group, inorganic alkali salts, and combinations thereof;

at least one dispersant component selected from the group consisting of low molecular weight monomeric dispersants, polymeric dispersants, and combinations thereof; and

at least one polyhydric alcohol component, wherein said titanium dioxide pigment composition is in dry form.

2. The titanium dioxide pigment composition of claim 1 , wherein said titanium dioxide particles are formed by the chloride process.

3. The titanium dioxide pigment composition of claim 1 , wherein said titanium dioxide particles have at least one inorganic coating deposited on the surfaces thereof, wherein said inorganic coating(s) is selected from the group consisting of metal oxide coatings, metal hydroxide coatings, and combinations thereof.

4. The titanium dioxide pigment composition of claim 3 , wherein said inorganic coating(s) are selected from the group consisting of silica coatings, alumina coatings, zirconium coatings, and combinations thereof.

5. The titanium dioxide pigment composition of claim 1 , wherein said dispersant package is present in said pigment composition in an amount of no greater than about 2% by weight based on the combined weight of said titanium dioxide particles and said dispersant package.

6. The titanium dioxide pigment composition of claim 1 , wherein said organic compounds having at least one amine functional group and at least one hydroxy functional group are selected from the group consisting of alkyl amine hydroxyls, aromatic amine hydroxyls, and combinations thereof.

7. The titanium dioxide pigment composition of claim 6 , wherein said organic compounds having at least one amine functional group and at least one hydroxy functional group are selected from the group consisting of 2-amino-2-methyl-1,3-propanediol, 2-amino-2-ethyl-1,3-propanediol, tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane, triethanolamine, N-butyl-diethanolamine, dimethylglucamine, and combinations thereof.

8. The titanium dioxide pigment composition of claim 1 , wherein said inorganic alkali salts are selected from the group consisting of alkali metal carbonates, alkali metal bicarbonates, and combinations thereof.

9. The titanium dioxide pigment composition of claim 1 , wherein said low molecular weight monomeric dispersants are selected from the group consisting of phosphates, carboxylic acids, di or tri carboxylic acids, phosphonates, phosphonate based carboxylic acids, and combinations thereof.

10. The titanium dioxide pigment composition of claim 9 , wherein said low molecular weight monomeric dispersants are selected from the group consisting of sodium hexametaphosphate, phosphate carboxylic acids, salts of phosphate carboxylic acids, hydroxyl carboxylic acids, salts of hydroxyl carboxylic acids, and combinations thereof.

11. The titanium dioxide pigment composition of claim 1 , wherein said polymeric dispersants are polymeric molecules that contain one or more functional groups of compounds selected from the group consisting of amines, carboxylic acids, sulfonic acids, phosphonic acids, and phosphoric acids; salts of amines, carboxylic acids, sulfonic acids, phosphonic acids, and phosphoric acids; and combinations thereof.

12. The titanium dioxide pigment composition of claim 11 , wherein said polymeric dispersants are selected from the group consisting of polyacrylic acid, polyacrylic acid copolymers, salts of polyacrylic acid and polyacrylic acid copolymers, maleic acid copolymers, salts of maleic acid copolymers, and combinations thereof.

13. The titanium dioxide pigment composition of claim 1 , wherein said polyhydric alcohol components are selected from the group consisting of alkyl straight chain polyols, alkyl branched chain polyols, and combinations thereof.

14. The titanium dioxide pigment composition of claim 13 , wherein said polyhydric alcohol components are selected from the group consisting of trimethylolpropane, ditrimethylolpropane, glycerol, diglycerol, pentaerythritol, mannitol, and combinations thereof.

15. A method of forming a stir-in titanium dioxide pigment composition in dry form for use in a waterborne latex paint formulation, comprising:

providing a plurality of titanium dioxide particles;

providing a dispersant package, said dispersant package including:

at least one non-volatile neutralizing agent selected from the group consisting of organic compounds having at least one amine functional group and at least one hydroxy functional group, inorganic alkali salts, and combinations thereof;

at least one dispersant component selected from the group consisting of low molecular weight monomeric dispersants, polymeric dispersants, and combinations thereof; and

at least one polyhydric alcohol component;

depositing said dispersant package on the surfaces of said titanium dioxide particles in an amount of no greater than about 5% by weight based on the combined weight of said titanium dioxide particles and said dispersant package; and

after depositing said dispersant package on the surfaces of said titanium dioxide particles, drying said titanium dioxide particles to form a stir-in titanium dioxide pigment composition in dry form.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein said titanium dioxide particles are raw titanium dioxide particles, and said method further comprises:

prior to depositing said dispersant package on said surfaces of said raw titanium dioxide particles, grinding said titanium dioxide particles to a desired particle size and filtering and washing said ground titanium dioxide particles to form a wet pigment filter cake;

wherein said dispersant package is deposited on said surfaces of said titanium dioxide particles by mixing said dispersant package with said wet pigment filter cake.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

drying said wet pigment filter cake to form a dried pigment filter cake;

crushing said dried pigment filter cake to form a crushed pigment filter cake; and

steam micronizing said crushed filter cake to form said titanium dioxide pigment composition.

18. A method of forming a stir-in titanium dioxide pigment composition slurry for use in a waterborne latex paint formulation, comprising:

providing an aqueous medium;

providing a plurality of titanium dioxide particles;

providing a dispersant package, said dispersant package including:

at least one non-volatile neutralizing agent selected from the group consisting of organic compounds having at least one amine functional group and at least one hydroxy functional group, inorganic alkali salts, and combinations thereof;

at least one dispersant component selected from the group consisting of low molecular weight monomeric dispersants, polymeric dispersants, and combinations thereof; and

at least one polyhydric alcohol component; and

depositing said dispersant package on the surfaces of said titanium dioxide particles in an amount of no greater than about 5% by weight based on the combined weight of said titanium dioxide particles and said dispersant package to form a titanium dioxide pigment composition; and

dispersing said titanium dioxide pigment composition in said aqueous medium to form a stir-in titanium dioxide pigment composition slurry, wherein prior to being dispersed in said aqueous medium, said titanium dioxide pigment composition is in dry form.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein said titanium dioxide particles are raw titanium dioxide particles, and said method further comprises:

prior to depositing said dispersant package on said surfaces of said raw titanium dioxide particles, grinding said titanium dioxide particles to a desired particle size and filtering and washing said ground titanium dioxide particles to form a wet pigment filter cake;

wherein said dispersant package is deposited on said surfaces of said titanium dioxide particles by mixing said dispersant package with said wet pigment filter cake.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising prior to dispersing said titanium dioxide pigment composition in said aqueous medium,

drying said wet pigment filter cake to form a dried pigment filter cake;

crushing said dried pigment filter cake to form a crushed pigment filter cake; and

steam micronizing said crushed filter cake to form said titanium dioxide pigment composition.

21. The method of claim 18 , wherein said titanium dioxide pigment composition slurry formed by the method is a stir-in titanium dioxide pigment composition slurry.

22. A stir-in titanium dioxide pigment composition for use in a waterborne latex paint formulation, comprising:

a plurality of titanium dioxide particles, wherein said titanium dioxide particles are formed by the chloride process; and

a dispersant package deposited on the surfaces of said titanium dioxide particles in an amount of no greater than about 5% by weight based on the combined weight of said titanium dioxide particles and said dispersant package, said dispersant package including:

at least one non-volatile neutralizing agent selected from the group consisting of organic compounds having at least one amine functional group and at least one hydroxy functional group, inorganic alkali salts, and combinations thereof;

at least one dispersant component selected from the group consisting of low molecular weight monomeric dispersants, polymeric dispersants, and combinations thereof; and

at least one polyhydric alcohol component, wherein said titanium dioxide pigment composition is in dry form.

23. A stir-in titanium dioxide pigment composition for use in a waterborne latex paint formulation, comprising:

a plurality of titanium dioxide particles; and

a dispersant package deposited on the surfaces of said titanium dioxide particles in an amount of no greater than about 5% by weight based on the combined weight of said titanium dioxide particles and said dispersant package, said dispersant package including:

at least one non-volatile neutralizing agent selected from the group consisting of organic compounds having at least one amine functional group and at least one hydroxy functional group, inorganic alkali salts, and combinations thereof, wherein said inorganic alkali salts are selected from the group consisting of alkali metal carbonates, alkali metal bicarbonates, and combinations thereof;

at least one dispersant component selected from the group consisting of low molecular weight monomeric dispersants, polymeric dispersants, and combinations thereof; and

at least one polyhydric alcohol component, wherein said titanium dioxide pigment composition is in dry form.

24. A stir-in titanium dioxide pigment composition for use in a waterborne latex paint formulation, comprising:

a plurality of titanium dioxide particles; and

a dispersant package deposited on the surfaces of said titanium dioxide particles in an amount of no greater than about 5% by weight based on the combined weight of said titanium dioxide particles and said dispersant package, said dispersant package including:

at least one non-volatile neutralizing agent selected from the group consisting of organic compounds having at least one amine functional group and at least one hydroxy functional group, inorganic alkali salts, and combinations thereof;

at least one dispersant component selected from the group consisting of low molecular weight monomeric dispersants, polymeric dispersants, and combinations thereof, wherein said polymeric dispersants are selected from the group consisting of polyacrylic acid, polyacrylic acid copolymers, salts of polyacrylic acid and polyacrylic acid copolymers, maleic acid copolymers, salts of maleic acid copolymers, and combinations thereof; and

at least one polyhydric alcohol component, wherein said titanium dioxide pigment composition is in dry form.

25. A method of forming a stir-in titanium dioxide pigment composition slurry for use in a waterborne latex paint formulation, comprising:

providing an aqueous medium;

providing a plurality of titanium dioxide particles, wherein said titanium dioxide particles are raw titanium dioxide particles;

providing a dispersant package, said dispersant package including:

at least one non-volatile neutralizing agent selected from the group consisting of organic compounds having at least one amine functional group and at least one hydroxy functional group, inorganic alkali salts, and combinations thereof;

at least one dispersant component selected from the group consisting of low molecular weight monomeric dispersants, polymeric dispersants, and combinations thereof; and

at least one polyhydric alcohol component;

grinding said titanium dioxide particles to a desired particle size and filtering and washing said ground titanium dioxide particles to form a wet pigment filter cake;

depositing said dispersant package on the surfaces of said titanium dioxide particles by mixing the dispersant package with said wet pigment filter cake, wherein said dispersant package is deposited on the surfaces of said titanium dioxide particles in an amount of no greater than about 5% by weight based on the combined weight of said titanium dioxide particles and said dispersant package to form a titanium dioxide pigment composition; and

dispersing said titanium dioxide pigment composition in said aqueous medium to form a stir-in titanium dioxide pigment composition slurry, wherein prior to being dispersed in said aqueous medium, said titanium dioxide pigment composition is in dry form.

26. The method of claim 25 , further comprising prior to dispersing said titanium dioxide pigment composition in said aqueous medium,

drying said wet pigment filter cake to form a dried pigment filter cake;

crushing said dried pigment filter cake to form a crushed pigment filter cake; and

steam micronizing said crushed filter cake to form said titanium dioxide pigment composition.