The present invention relates to an inorganic particulate material suitable for use in polymeric films, compositions such as polymeric films comprising the inorganic particulate materials, methods of making said compositions and the various uses of the inorganic particulate materials and compositions.

The present invention relates to an inorganic particulate material suitable for use in polymeric films, compositions such as polymeric films comprising the inorganic particulate materials, methods of making said compositions and the various uses of the inorganic particulate materials and compositions.

Disclosed in certain embodiments are closed-cell metal oxide particles and methods of preparing the same. In at least one embodiment, a closed-cell metal oxide particle comprises a metal oxide matrix defining an array of closed-cells. Each closed-cell encapsulates a media-inaccessible void volume. The outer surface of the closed-cell metal oxide particle is defined by the array of closed-cells.

Disclosed in certain embodiments are hybrid metal oxide particles and methods of preparing the same. In at least one embodiment, hybrid metal oxide particles comprise a continuous matrix of a first metal oxide having embedded therein an array of metal oxide particles comprising a second metal oxide. In at least one embodiment, the hybrid metal oxide particles are substantially non-porous.

A method for producing pigments comprises the steps of creating a first layer on a substrate, structuring the first layer and detaching the pigments from the substrate. In the present case, the first layer is a crack-forming layer, so that the first layer is structured by the arising of cracks. Prior to detaching the pigments, a pigment layer is applied onto the first layer structured by the cracks.

A method for producing pigments comprises the steps of creating a first layer on a substrate, structuring the first layer and detaching the pigments from the substrate. In the present case, the first layer is a crack-forming layer, so that the first layer is structured by the arising of cracks. Prior to detaching the pigments, a pigment layer is applied onto the first layer structured by the cracks.

Disclosed herein is a method for producing an aqueous titanium dioxide slurry. The method includes (a) providing an aqueous dispersion medium, and (b) dispersing titanium dioxide into the aqueous dispersion medium provided in step (a) to obtain a titanium dioxide slurry containing at least 65 wt.-% up to 85 wt.-% of titanium dioxide, based on the total weight of the thus obtained slurry, where step (b) is carried out by sole use of a non-milling mixing device and at least until the Hegman fineness of the titanium dioxide particles is below 8 μm. Further disclosed herein are a slurry obtained from the disclosed method, a coating composition containing the same, and a method for producing a coating and a thus coated substrate.

Disclosed herein is a method for producing an aqueous titanium dioxide slurry. The method includes (a) providing an aqueous dispersion medium, and (b) dispersing titanium dioxide into the aqueous dispersion medium provided in step (a) to obtain a titanium dioxide slurry containing at least 65 wt.-% up to 85 wt.-% of titanium dioxide, based on the total weight of the thus obtained slurry, where step (b) is carried out by sole use of a non-milling mixing device and at least until the Hegman fineness of the titanium dioxide particles is below 8 μm. Further disclosed herein are a slurry obtained from the disclosed method, a coating composition containing the same, and a method for producing a coating and a thus coated substrate.

Thermoelectric (TE) nanocomposite material that includes at least one component consisting of nanocrystals. A TE nanocomposite material in accordance with the present invention can include, but is not limited to, multiple nanocrystalline structures, nanocrystal networks or partial networks, or multi-component materials, with some components forming connected interpenetrating networks including nanocrystalline networks. The TE nanocomposite material can be in the form of a bulk solid having semiconductor nanocrystallites that form an electrically conductive network within the material. In other embodiments, the TE nanocomposite material can be a nanocomposite thermoelectric material having one network of p-type or n-type semiconductor domains and a low thermal conductivity semiconductor or dielectric network or domains separating the p-type or n-type domains that provides efficient phonon scattering to reduce thermal conductivity while maintaining the electrical properties of the p-type or n-type semiconductor.

Provided is a nanodiamond dispersion composition having excellent dispersibility of nanodiamond particles in an organic dispersion medium even when the organic dispersion medium has a small SP value. The nanodiamond dispersion composition according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an organic dispersion medium, nanodiamond particles dispersed in the organic dispersion medium, and a fatty acid ester dispersing agent. The fatty acid ester dispersing agent preferably has a mass loss rate of 20% or less when held in an air atmosphere at a temperature of 200° C. for 180 minutes. The fatty acid ester dispersing agent preferably has an acid value of 40 mgKOH/g or less.