The invention relates to a method for producing particles of mineral material comprising grinding of at least one mineral material in the presence of water. The grinding according to the invention is carried out in the presence of at least one polymer obtained by a radical polymerization reaction of a partial sodium salt of itaconic acid and partial decarboxylation of the polymer obtained followed by partial or total neutralization of the decarboxylated polymer. The invention also relates to an aqueous composition comprising particles of ground mineral material and such a polymer, in particular a mass-loading composition for the production of paper or a paper-coating-colour composition.

This invention provides a method for creating a large-scale of amphiphilic particles. The method includes: adding nanoparticles into a polycarbonate-based solution, adding a surfactant into the solution while performing ultra-sonication to generate polymer precipitation, creating at least one microsphere with the nanoparticles embedded onto it, subjecting the exposed hemisphere of the embedded nanoparticles to a further amphiphilic particles related modification, and dissolving the at least one microsphere in a polycarbonate-based solution in order to free said embedded nanoparticles from the at least one microsphere.

To improve storage stability of a resin composition used for applications such as a semiconductor sealing material. The resin composition is a resin composition that includes (A) an epoxy resin, (B) a curing agent, and (C) a silica filler. The silica filler of component (C) is surface-treated with a basic substance having a conjugate acid dissociation constant (pKa) of 9.4 or more. The resin composition further includes (D) a silane coupling agent, or the silica filler of component (C) is further surface-treated with a silane coupling agent.

A long term dust free mass of natural silica particles is produced by covering 10-60 percent of the total surface area of the particles with a thin film of white mineral oil with a low viscosity of less than 200 Saybolt SUS at 100 F. and preferably in the range of 60-100 Saybolt SUS at 100 F.

Composite particles are provided. The composite particles can comprise: a base particle; a metal layer encompassing the base particle and having a surface on which a plurality of gaps are formed; and markers provided on the metal layer and also provided within the plurality of gaps of the metal layer.

To provide a curable composition whereby it is possible to obtain a cured product having a high Abbe number and being excellent in transparency, crack resistance and releasability; and such a cured product. A curable composition comprises, in specific ratios, surface-modified metal oxide particles (A) having (meth)acryloyl-group-containing surface-modifying groups on the surface of the metal oxide particles, a compound (B) having a fluorine atom and at least one (meth)acryloyl group, a compound (C) having a urethane bond or OCH.sub.2CH(OH)CH.sub.2, having at least two (meth)acryloyl groups and having a mass-average molecular weight of at least 1,000, a compound (D) having no unsaturated bond-containing ring structure and having at least one (meth)acryloyl group, and a polymerization initiator (E).

Disclosed are a silica sol composition including silica, an anionic dispersant, a cationic dispersant, an epoxy silane coupling agent, and an organic solvent, and a method for preparing the same. In the silica sol composition, a uniform surface modification of silica particles may be achieved by using an anionic dispersant and a cationic dispersant, and it is possible to effectively enhance the compatibility between a silica filler whose surface is modified with an epoxy group and a resin which is an underfill composition.

Disclosed is a coating composition which includes: polyurethane; and amphiphilic nanoparticles having an amine functional group and a fluorine functional group in their structure. Further provided are a polyurethane-silica composite film including e coating composition and a method of preparing the same.

Disclosed is a coating composition which includes: polyurethane; and amphiphilic silica nanoparticles having an amine functional group and a fluorine functional group in their structure. Further provided are a polyurethane-silica composite film including the coating composition and a method of preparing the same.

The object of the present invention is to provide silica particles which can provide a silica particle dispersion exhibiting excellent uniformity. The present invention is silica particles having an average primary particle diameter d.sub.BET calculated from a specific surface area by a BET method of 1 nm or more and 100 nm or less and a ratio (d.sub.DLS/d.sub.BET) of an average secondary particle diameter d.sub.DLS measured by a dynamic light scattering method to the d.sub.BET of 1.2 or less. The silica particles of the present invention preferably have a coefficient of variation in a particle diameter measured using a transmission electron microscope at a magnification of 200,000 of 20% or less.