The present invention relates to opaque polymers functionalized with phosphorus acid groups, composites of TiO.sub.2 particles and the opaque polymers, and methods for their preparation. The composites are useful in coatings formulations and have been shown to exhibit improved hiding benefits in coated substrates over compositions containing non-functionalized opaque polymer and TiO.sub.2.

A method for coating pigment particles is provided, the method comprising heating a polymer resin in a carrier fluid to dissolve the polymer resin; suspending in the carrier fluid white pigment particles to be coated; and cooling the carrier fluid at a rate of 2 C./hr or less to effect precipitation of the polymer resin from the carrier fluid such that a coating of the resin is formed on the pigment particles, thereby producing the white liquid electrophotographic ink composition.

A method for manufacturing low effective density TiO.sub.2 includes providing a template having a surface. The template surface is coated with a titanium-containing compound that can be reduced to TiO.sub.2 at high temperature. The template is removed, thereby forming porous TiO.sub.2 particles. The effective density of the porous TiO.sub.2 particles is less than 4.

According to the present invention, provided is a core-shell structured chromic microcapsule having a size of 50-1,500 m, comprising: a core comprising a colorant core (A) and an optional inner color layer (B); and a shell comprising a pressure sensitive destructible wall layer (C) encompassing the core, an optional outer color layer (D) and an optional outermost protective layer (E), wherein the colorant core allows a high content of a colorant to be contained, and the pressure sensitive destructible wall layer comprises carbon dioxide particles and a binder comprising one or more wall-forming materials and one or more lipid-base materials. The chromic microcapsule according to the present invention has high colorant content, has excellent storage durability, maintenance durability and color-hiding property of the inner color layers, is easily destroyed by pushing, rubbing, polishing or scrubbing with the hands or a tool (cotton fabric, sponge or paper) so as to express the color of the inner color layers, and can maintain stability for a long time even if being added into a carrier.

The present invention aims to provide a method of producing a fine particulate inorganic oxide dispersion, which makes it possible to easily disperse a fine particulate inorganic oxide while reducing the amount of dispersant used. The present invention relates to a method of producing a fine particulate inorganic oxide dispersion, the method including mixing the following components (A) to (D): (A) at least one fine particulate inorganic oxide selected from the group consisting of zirconium oxide (ZrO.sub.2), titanium oxide (TiO.sub.2), and barium titanate (BaTiO.sub.3), (B) a dispersant, (C) an alkoxysilane compound, and (D) a solvent having the following Hansen solubility parameters: a hydrogen bonding component (dH) of 11 or less and a polar component (dP) of 4 or more; and wet grinding the resulting mixture.

A method of recovering an inorganic pigment from a coating composition, the method comprising a step of adding polyethylene glycol to the coating composition. The invention also concerns a coating composition comprising an inorganic pigment composition recovered according to the method, and the use of polyethylene glycol in the recovery of inorganic pigment from a coating composition.

The present invention provides an aqueous paint composition comprising by dry weight based on total dry weight of the pigment composition, from 11% to 35% of a polymeric duller of (co)polymeric particles having an average diameter of from 1 to 20 m, and from 25% to 70% of titanium dioxide particles; wherein from 50% to 100% of the titanium dioxide particles are encapsulated by polymer shell of (co)polymeric particles.

A method for manufacturing low effective density TiO.sub.2 includes providing a template having a surface. The template surface is coated with a titanium-containing compound that can be reduced to TiO.sub.2 at high temperature. The template is removed, thereby forming porous TiO.sub.2 particles. The effective density of the porous TiO.sub.2 particles is less than 4.

Methods for of synthesizing a polymer functionalized nanoparticle are provided. The method can comprise: attaching an anchoring compound to a nanoparticle; attaching a RAFT agent to the anchoring compound; and polymerizing a plurality of butadiene-derived monomers on the anchoring compound to form a polymeric chain covalently bonded to the nanoparticle via the anchoring compound. Polymer functionalized nanoparticles are also provided that include a nanoparticle defining a surface; a butadiene-derived polymeric chain covalently bonded to the surface of the nanoparticle. Nanocomposites are also provided that include a plurality of such polymer functionalized nanoparticles dispersed within a polymeric matrix.

A white pigment dispersion includes 10 to 60 wt % of low effective density TiO.sub.2, 1 to 40 wt % of a latex, and the balance a dispersing medium. Inks using the low effective density TiO.sub.2 and methods for preparing the low effective density TiO.sub.2 are also disclosed.