TREATED INORGANIC PARTICLES FOR MODIFYING POLYMER CRYSTALLINITY
Described is a treated inorganic particle having an organic treatment layer, which can provide crystallization benefits to polymer resins. The treated inorganic particle has a mean particle size of about 0.1-10 μm, and the organic treatment layer is an alkali metal salt or alkaline earth metal salt of an acid; where the acid is an aromatic acid or organic diacid. The treated inorganic particles increase crystallization temperature, increase crystal formation rate, and/or decrease cooling time needed for the solidification of the polymer compared with pigmented resins using other inorganic particles.
1 . A treated inorganic particle comprising an inorganic particle having a surface and an organic treatment layer on the inorganic particle surface,
where the treated inorganic particle has a mean particle size of about 0.1-10 μm and
where the organic treatment layer is selected from alkali metal salt or alkaline earth metal salt of an acid; where the acid is an aromatic acid or organic diacid.
2 . The treated inorganic particle of claim 1 , where the inorganic particle is an inorganic oxide, inorganic carbide, inorganic nitride, inorganic boride, inorganic silicide, inorganic sulphate, inorganic carbonate, inorganic silicates, or mixtures thereof.
3 . The treated inorganic particle of claim 1 , where the mean particle size is about 0.1-1 μm.
4 . The treated inorganic particle of claim 1 , where the acid is an aromatic monoacid or C2-C18 straight or branched alkylene diacid.
5 . The treated inorganic particle of claim 1 , where the alkali metal salt or alkaline earth metal salt is a phosphate, sulfonate, sulfate, carbonate, or carboxylate compound.
6 . The treated inorganic particle of claim 1 , having a BET surface area of about 1-100 m 2 /g.
7 . The treated inorganic particle of claim 1 , further comprising at least one metal oxide, metal hydroxide, or metal carbonate layer between the inorganic particle and the organic treatment layer.
8 . The treated inorganic particle of claim 1 , further comprising a second organic treatment layer beneath or above the organic treatment layer.
9 . The treated inorganic particle of claim 2 , where the inorganic particle is an inorganic oxide selected from TiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , SiO 2 , ZnO, SrTiO 3 , BaSO 4 , PbCO 3 , BaTiO 3 , Ce 2 O 3 , CaCO 3 , or ZrO 2 .
10 . The treated inorganic particle of claim 1 , where the organic treatment layer is present in an amount of about 0.1-15% by weight, based on the total weight of the treated inorganic particle.
11 . A polymer composition comprising a polymer and a treated inorganic particle,
where the treated inorganic particle comprises an inorganic particle having a surface and an organic treatment layer on the inorganic particle surface, where the inorganic particle has a mean particle size of about 0.1-10 μm and where the organic treatment layer is selected from alkali metal salt or alkaline earth metal salt of an acid;
where the acid is an aromatic acid or organic diacid; and
where the polymer is polypropylene homopolymer or copolymer, polyethylene homopolymer or copolymer, polyester, or mixtures thereof.
12 . The polymer composition of claim 11 , where the inorganic particle is an inorganic oxide, inorganic carbide, inorganic nitride, inorganic boride, inorganic silicide, inorganic sulphate, inorganic carbonate, inorganic silicates, or mixtures thereof.
13 . The polymer composition of claim 11 , where the mean particle size is about 0.1-1 μm.
14 . The polymer composition of claim 11 , where the acid is an aromatic monoacid or C2-C18 straight or branched alkylene diacid.
15 . The polymer composition of claim 11 , where the alkali metal salt or alkaline earth metal salt is a phosphate, sulfonate, sulfate, carbonate, or carboxylate compound.
16 . The polymer composition of claim 11 , where the treated inorganic particle has a BET surface area of about 1-100 m 2 /g.
17 . The polymer composition of claim 11 , where the treated inorganic particle further comprises at least one metal oxide, metal hydroxide, or metal carbonate layer between the inorganic particle and the organic treatment layer.
18 . The polymer composition of claim 11 , where the treated inorganic particle further comprises a second organic treatment layer beneath or above the organic treatment layer.
19 . The polymer composition of claim 12 , where the inorganic particle is an inorganic oxide selected from TiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , SiO 2 , ZnO, SrTiO 3 , BaSO 4 , PbCO 3 , BaTiO 3 , Ce 2 O 3 , CaCO 3 , or ZrO 2 .
20 . The polymer composition of claim 11 , where the organic treatment layer is present in an amount of about 0.1-15% by weight, based on the total weight of the treated (Currently amended) inorganic particle.
21 . The polymer composition of claim 11 , comprising about 20-99.9% by weight of the polymer and about 0.1-80% by weight of the treated inorganic particle, based on the total polymer composition.