IP Library Granted Patent US 11,891,541
Granted Patent B2
US 11,891,541 · App. 17/720,607 · Granted Feb 6, 2024

Alpha-alumina flakes

Inventors: Ryuta Suzuki (Iwaki, JP); Gerhard Pfaff (Muenster, DE); Sabine Schoen (Herten, DE); Noriyuki Matsuda (Chiba, JP); Katsuhisa Nitta (Iwaki, JP)
Assignee: MERCK PATENT GMBH
C09D7/62C01F7/02C01F7/34C01F7/441C09C1/0015C09C1/0021C09C1/0024C09D7/70C01P2002/52C01P2002/84C01P2004/20C01P2004/24C01P2004/51C01P2004/61C01P2004/62C08K3/22Y10T428/2982
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,891,541
App. No.
17/720,607
Granted
Feb 6, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

Alpha-Alumina flakes having a particle thickness of 130-400 nm, a D 50 -value of 15-30 μm, a D 90 -value of 30-45 μm and a D 10 -value of <9.5 μm. Use of the alumina flakes in varnishes, paints, automotive coatings printing inks, masterbatches, plastics and cosmetic formulations. Also, use of the alumina flakes as a substrate for effect pigments and in organic dyes.

Claims (61)

1. An automobile coating, automotive finishing or industrial coating,

comprising

(1) coated and/or uncoated Al 2 O 3 flakes having a particle thickness of 130-400 nm, D 50 -value of 15-30 μm, D 90 -value of 30-45 μm and a D 10 -value of <9.5 λm, wherein the coated A 2 O 3 flakes have one or more coatings on top of and completely encapsulating said Al 2 O 3 flakes and forming one or more layers apart from the Al 2 O 3 flakes, wherein said Al 2 O 3 flakes are alpha-alumina flakes,

and

(2) one or more further ingredients apart from said coated and/or uncoated Al 2 O 3 flakes suitable for an automobile coating, automotive finishing or industrial coating.

2. The automobile coating, automotive finishing or industrial coating according to claim 1 , which is a single layer coating or a two-coat system in which the coated and/or uncoated Al 2 O 3 flakes are present in a base coat.

3. The automobile coating, automotive finishing or industrial coating according to claim 1 , wherein the coated and/or uncoated Al 2 O 3 flakes are present in an amount of 0.5 to 10% by weight based on the weight of the automobile coating, automotive finishing or industrial coating.

4. The automobile coating, automotive finishing or industrial coating according to claim 1 , wherein the Al 2 O 3 flakes have a particle thickness of 130-400 nm, D 50 -value of 15-30 μm, D 90 -value of 30-45 μm and a D 10 -value of 9.2 to 9.4 μm.

5. The automobile coating, automotive finishing or industrial coating according to claim 1 , wherein the Al 2 O 3 flakes are uncoated.

6. The automobile coating, automotive finishing or industrial coating according to claim 1 , wherein the Al 2 O 3 flakes have a standard deviation of thickness distribution of less than 80 nm.

7. The automobile coating, automotive finishing or industrial coating according to claim 1 , wherein the Al 2 O 3 flakes are doped with TiO 2 , ZrO 2 , SiO 2 , SnO 2 , In 2 O 3 , or ZnO or a combination thereof.

8. The automobile coating, automotive finishing or industrial coating according to claim 1 , wherein the Al 2 O 3 flakes are coated with at least one layer of a metal oxide, a mixture of at least two metal oxides, a metal, a metal sulphide, a titanium suboxide, a titanium oxynitride, FeO(OH), SiO 2 , a metal alloy or a rare earth compound, which form one or more coatings.

9. The automobile coating, automotive finishing or industrial coating according to claim 1 , wherein the Al 2 O 3 flakes are coated with at least one layer of a metal oxide or a mixture of at least two metal oxides.

10. The automobile coating, automotive finishing or industrial coating according to claim 1 , wherein the Al 2 O 3 flakes are coated with the following layer sequence:

Al 2 O 3 flake+TiO 2

Al 2 O 3 flake+TiO 2 /Fe 2 O 3

Al 2 O 3 flake+Fe 2 O 3

Al 2 O 3 flake+TiO 2 +Fe 2 O 3

Al 2 O 3 flake+TiO 2 +Fe 3 O 4

Al 2 O 3 flake+TiO 2 +SiO 2 +TiO 2

Al 2 O 3 flake+Fe 2 O 3 +SiO 2 +TiO 2

Al 2 O 3 flake+TiO 2 /Fe 2 O 3 +SiO 2 +TiO 2

Al 2 O 3 flake+TiO 2 +SiO 2 +TiO 2 /Fe 2 O 3

Al 2 O 3 flake+TiO 2 +SiO 2

Al 2 O 3 flake+TiO 2 +SiO 2 /Al 2 O 3

Al 2 O 3 flake+TiO 2 +Al 2 O 3

Al 2 O 3 flake+SnO 2

Al 2 O 3 flake+SnO 2 +TiO 2

Al 2 O 3 flake+SnO 2 +Fe 2 O 3

Al 2 O 3 flake+SiO 2

Al 2 O 3 flake+SiO 2 +TiO 2

Al 2 O 3 flake+SiO 2 +TiO 2 /Fe 2 O 3

Al 2 O 3 flake+SiO 2 +Fe 2 O 3

Al 2 O 3 flake+SiO 2 +TiO 2 +Fe 2 O 3

Al 2 O 3 flake+SiO 2 +TiO 2 +Fe 3 O 4

Al 2 O 3 flake+SiO 2 +TiO 2 +SiO 2 +TiO 2

Al 2 O 3 flake+SiO 2 +Fe 2 O 3 +SiO 2 +TiO 2

Al 2 O 3 flake+SiO 2 +TiO 2 /Fe 2 O 3 +SiO 2 +TiO 2

Al 2 O 3 flake+SiO 2 +TiO 2 +SiO 2 +TiO 2 /Fe 2 O 3

Al 2 O 3 flake+SiO 2 +TiO 2 +SiO 2

Al 2 O 3 flake+SiO 2 +TiO 2 +SiO 2 /Al 2 O 3

Al 2 O 3 flake+SiO 2 +TiO 2 +Al 2 O 3

Al 2 O 3 flake+TiO 2 +Prussian Blue or

Al 2 O 3 flake+TiO 2 +Carmine Red.

11. The automobile coating, automotive finishing or industrial coating according to claim 1 , wherein the Al 2 O 3 flakes are coated with TiO 2 in the rutile modification.

12. The automobile coating, automotive finishing or industrial coating according to claim 1 , wherein the Al 2 O 3 flakes are coated with TiO 2 in the anatase modification.

13. The automobile coating, automotive finishing or industrial coating according to claim 1 , wherein the Al 2 O 3 flakes are coated, and which coated flakes consist of 40-90 wt. % of Al 2 O 3 flakes and 10-60 wt. % of the one or more coatings.

14. The automobile coating, automotive finishing or industrial coating according to claim 1 , wherein the Al 2 O 3 flakes have a D 10 -value of <9.2μm.

15. The automobile coating, automotive finishing or industrial coating according to claim 1 , wherein the Al 2 O 3 flakes have a D 10 -value of 8.8 to 9.2 μm.

16. The automobile coating, automotive finishing or industrial coating according to claim 1 , wherein the Al 2 O 3 flakes have a particle thickness of 200-250 nm.

17. The automobile coating, automotive finishing or industrial coating according to claim 1 , wherein the Al 2 O 3 flakes have a particle thickness of 130-400 nm, D 50 -value of 15-30 μm, D 90 -value of 30-45 μm and a D 10 -value of 8.8 to <9.5 μm.

18. The automobile coating, automotive finishing or industrial coating according to claim 1 , wherein the coated and/or uncoated Al 2 O 3 flakes have a luster of 40-46, a haze-gloss of 21-25 and a Wa value of 9-12.

19. An automobile coating, automotive finishing or industrial coating composition, comprising

(1) coated and/or uncoated Al 2 O 3 flakes having a particle thickness of 130-400 nm, D 50 -value of 15-30 μm, D 90 -value of 30-45 μm and a D 10 -value of <9.5 μm, wherein the coated Al 2 O 3 flakes have one or more coatings on top of and completely encapsulating said Al 2 O 3 flakes and forming one or more layers apart from the Al 2 O 3 flakes, wherein said Al 2 O 3 are alpha-alumina flakes,

and

(2) one or more further ingredients apart from said coated and/or uncoated Al 2 O 3 flakes suitable for an automobile coating, automotive finishing or industrial coating.

20. The automobile coating, automotive finishing or industrial coating composition according to claim 17 , wherein the coated and/or uncoated Al 2 O 3 flakes are present in an amount of 0.5 to 10% by weight based on the weight of the automobile coating, automotive finishing or industrial coating.

21. A method for the laser marking of paper or a plastic or for the coloring of a tent awning, comprising applying to said paper, plastic or tent awning a coating composition, comprising

(1) coated and/or uncoated Al 2 O 3 flakes having a particle thickness of 130-400 nm, D 50 -value of 15-30 μm and a D 90 -value of 30-45 μm, D 10 -value of <9.5 μm, wherein the coated Al 2 O 3 flakes have one or more coatings on top of and completely encapsulating said Al 2 O 3 flakes and forming one or more layers apart from the Al 2 O 3 flakes, wherein said Al 2 O 3 flakes a alpha-alumnia flakes,

and

(2) one or more further distinct ingredients apart from said coated and/or uncoated Al 2 O 3 flakes suitable for an automobile coating, automotive finishing or industrial coating.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 28, 2025
From: MERCK PATENT GMBH
To: SUSONITY COMMERCIAL GMBH
Reel/Frame 072287/0400 →
Priority Claims (1)
EP 13002293 · Apr 30, 2013 · regional
Continuity (3)
Division 16843395 · Apr 8, 2020
Division 14264431 · Apr 29, 2014
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