Method of producing a high strength (with improved tensile strength and elongation at break properties), high quality, cost effective, nanoparticle enhanced polyurea, polyurethane, and epoxy composites with chemical bonding into polymer backbone. The mechanical properties of tensile strength and elongation at break improves concurrently and significantly with tensile strength increasing well over 300%. The polymer/nanoparticle composite can be produced cost effectively as a high quality coating system or in nanoparticle concentrate forms.

White pigment compositions are provided. In embodiments, a white pigment composition comprises water and core-shell particles, each core-shell particle comprising a core and a shell over the core, wherein one of the core and the shell comprises a polymer and the other of the core and shell comprises silica. The polymer comprises an aromatic group, a hydroxyl-reactive functional group, and a polar group; and the silica comprises a hydroxyl group. The core and the shell are attached via covalent bonds formed between hydroxyl-reactive functional groups of the polymer and hydroxyl groups of the silica. Methods of making and using the white pigment compositions are also provided.

Provided are a nanocomposite body, a method of manufacturing the nanocomposite body, and a nanocomposite film including the nanocomposite body. The nanocomposite body includes: inorganic particles; a polymer matrix; and grafting polymer chains each of which includes a polyol structure, wherein the inorganic particles and the polymer matrix are linked by the grafting polymer chains.

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.

Coating compositions are described including silica nanoparticles functionalized with an alkenyl silane, a dispersing agent, and a compound including a polyethylene oxide segment containing at least one hydroxyl group, at least one silane, and optionally a hydrophobic group. The coating compositions further include at least two multifunctional (meth) acrylate monomers. Also described are articles including the dried and cured coating composition disposed on a substrate. The articles exhibit anti-fog characteristics and often also mechanical durability.

This surface-treated sol-gel silica is characterized by containing sol-gel silica having an average particle size of 0.05 m or more and 2.0 m or less as measured by laser diffraction scattering and a surface treatment agent on the surface of the sol-gel silica. In a dispersion produced by dispersing 5 mass % of the sol-gel silica in ethanol by emitting ultrasonic waves at 40W for 10 minutes, the content of particles with particle sizes of 5 m or more is 10 ppm or less in a particle number size distribution obtained by a Coulter counter method.

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.

A cellulose nanofiber-supporting inorganic powder includes a cellulose nanofiber and an inorganic powder, wherein the cellulose nanofiber is supported on the inorganic powder. Thus, the cellulose nanofiber may be readily and uniformly dispersed in a resin or rubber composition, and, by adding to the composition, a cellulose nanofiber-supporting inorganic powder is capable of improving the physical properties of a resin or a rubber.

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.

Improved silica based matting agents are disclosed. The matting agents are useful in waterborne coatings composition to provide exceptional properties to a wood based substrate. Films resulting on the coated substrate unexpectedly provide improved chemical resistance, thermal stress resistance, weather resistance, and/or film clarity to the surface of a wood substrate. Methods of making and using the matting agents are also disclosed.