The present invention relates to ester-coated core particles, thermoplastic polymer composition comprising a thermo-plastic polymer and such coated particles, a method for producing ester coated particles and the use of compositions of the invention as fillers or pigments with improved dispersion properties and pourability.

An anionic polymeric dispersant and a composition comprising inorganic particulate material and an anionic polymeric dispersant. A method of grinding a composition comprising inorganic particulate material and an anionic polymeric dispersant and a use of anionic polymeric dispersant to maintain the viscosity of a composition comprising inorganic particulate material.

A pigment grind dispersion contains non-adsorbed titanium dioxide particles dispersed in an aqueous emulsion containing a mixture of (a) water-insoluble film-forming first polymer particles that adsorb to titanium dioxide particles, the first polymer particle amount in the emulsion being less than the saturation level of adsorption when another polymer is not present, (b) water-insoluble film-forming second polymer particles that do not by themselves form composite particles with titanium dioxide particles, the second polymer particle amount in the emulsion being sufficient to inhibit or interfere with adsorption of the first polymer particles to titanium dioxide particles, and (c) extender particles. The pigment grind dispersion has a titanium dioxide pigment volume concentration of about 25 to about 50 and a titania composite ratio of about 32 to about 60.

A stable aqueous dispersion including certain composite particles and a method for forming the stable aqueous dispersion is provided. The composite particles include a pigment particle, the pigment particle having disposed thereon a certain water-soluble polymer including copolymerized carboxylic acid monomer and N-containing monomer and the pigment particle bearing the water-soluble polymer having disposed on it a plurality of water-insoluble polymer particles. Also provided is a dry coating formed from the aqueous dispersion.

The present invention relates to the use of copolymers obtained by polymerization of maleic anhydride and of styrene, for preparing particles of mineral matter having a weight-loss start temperature greater than or equal to 220 C., as measured by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) between 150 C. and 600 C.

An aqueous dispersion of pigmented opacifying polymer particles, the particles comprising: i. an inorganic core comprising dispersed inorganic pigment particle and a dispersant ii. a first layer of base-swellable polymer comprising acid groups encapsulating the core iii. a second layer of non-base-swellable polymer encapsulating the first layer wherein the dispersant comprises or consists of hydroxyl moieties; and carboxyl groups derived from itaconic acid.

The present invention is directed to a process for surface whitening mineral matter in a slurry that includes the following steps: (a) preparing by dispersing and/or grinding at least one water based mineral matter slurry; and (b) adding during and/or after step a) 0.005 wt % to 0.5 wt %, based on dry weight of the mineral matter, of at least one alkylene oxide block co-polymer or at least one alkylene oxide random co-polymer.

The present invention relates to processes for modifying a filler material comprising treating the filler material with a composition comprising a xyloglucan endotransglycosylase and (a) a polymeric xyloglucan and a functionalized xyloglucan oligomer comprising a chemical group; (b) a polymeric xyloglucan functionalized with a chemical group and a functionalized xyloglucan oligomer comprising a chemical group; (c) a polymeric xyloglucan functionalized with a chemical group and a xyloglucan oligomer; (d) a polymeric xyloglucan and a xyloglucan oligomer; (e) a a polymeric xyloglucan functionalized with a chemical group; (f) a polymeric xyloglucan; (g) a functionalized xyloglucan oligomer comprising a chemical group; or (h) a xyloglucan oligomer; or a composition of (a-h) without a xyloglucan endotransglycosylase, wherein the modified filler material possesses an improved property compared to the unmodified filler material. The present invention also relates to modified filler materials and modified filler materials obtained by such processes.

A method of preparing an aqueous dispersion of opacifying polymer particles containing inorganic pigment particles therein is disclosed. The method yields hollow polymer particles containing pigment particles therein using a non-RAFT emulsion polymerization process by free radical polymerization. The technique is much faster and simpler than known RAFT methods.

Provided are surface-treated fine particles which, when added to coatings for the production of films, exhibit excellent reactivity with respect to organosilicon compounds and resins that are matrix components of the coating films, and thereby allow the films to exhibit excellent performance. Oligomer-modified fine particles include inorganic oxide fine particles having a surface modified with an oligomer, the oligomer being derived from a metal alkoxide represented by Formula (1): R.sub.nM.sub.1(OR).sub.z-n (1) wherein M.sub.1: one or more elements selected from Si, Ti, Zr and Al; R and R: one or more groups selected from alkyl groups of 1 to 8 carbon atoms, aryl groups and vinyl groups; n: an integer of from 0 to (z2); and z: the valence of M.sub.1. The oligomer has a polymerization degree of 3 or more. The oligomer has a weight average molecular weight in the range of 1000 to 10000.