A process for preparing a composite containing submicron sized particles of metal oxide pigment and a natural-based organic compound is disclosed. The process includes a step of grinding a metal oxide pigment and a oligomeric and/or polymeric carbohydrate together by means of a ball mill, to obtain a pigment composite containing particles having a submicron granulometry and an outer surface partially or completely covered by the oligomeric and/or polymeric carbohydrate. A pigment composite including pigment particles having a mean hydrodynamic diameter smaller than 1 μm is also disclosed.

Provided is a powder material for a cosmetic that has excellent dispersibility in any of silicone oil agents, hydrocarbon oil agents, and ester oil agents, and does not affect the color appearance of a formulation. The powder material for a cosmetic contains a powder for a cosmetic surface-treated with an ester compound of a fatty acid having 8-20 carbon atoms and glycerol. The ester compound is at least one selected from the group consisting of diglyceryl tetraisostearate, diglyceryl triisostearate, glyceryl tri(caprylate/caprate), glyceryl dilaurate, glyceryl triisostearate, decaglyceryl monoisostearate, and decaglyceryl diisostearate.

Porous metal oxide microspheres are prepared via a process comprising forming a liquid solution or dispersion of polydisperse polymer nanoparticles and a metal oxide; forming liquid droplets from the solution or dispersion; drying the liquid droplets to provide polymer template microspheres comprising polymer nanospheres and metal oxide; and removing the polymer nanospheres from the template microspheres to provide the porous metal oxide microspheres. The porous microspheres exhibit saturated colors and are suitable as colorants for a variety of end-uses.

There are provided a coating composition being possible to form a cured film which has excellent transparency and weather resistance, and especially hardness. A coating composition obtained by which a silicon-containing substance as a component (M) and a silica colloidal particle having a primary particle diameter of 2 to 80 nm as a component (S) are mixed, and then the component (M) is hydrolyzed, and the resulting aqueous solution is subsequently mixed with a colloidal particle (C) wherein a component (F) is a modified metal oxide colloidal particle (C) having a primary particle diameter of 2 to 100 nm, which includes a metal oxide colloidal particle (A) having a primary particle diameter of 2 to 60 nm as a core, whose surface is coated with a coating (B) formed of an acidic oxide colloidal particle.

There are provided a coating composition being possible to form a cured film which has excellent transparency and weather resistance, and especially hardness. A coating composition obtained by which a silicon-containing substance as a component (M) and a silica colloidal particle having a primary particle diameter of 2 to 80 nm as a component (S) are mixed, and then the component (M) is hydrolyzed, and the resulting aqueous solution is subsequently mixed with a colloidal particle (C) wherein a component (F) is a modified metal oxide colloidal particle (C) having a primary particle diameter of 2 to 100 nm, which includes a metal oxide colloidal particle (A) having a primary particle diameter of 2 to 60 nm as a core, whose surface is coated with a coating (B) formed of an acidic oxide colloidal particle.

Aluminium-containing iron oxide pigments of the formula Fe.sub.2-xAl.sub.xO.sub.3 with x values from 0.01 to 0.25, characterized in that they possess an a* value of 30.5 to 32.5 CIELAB units and a b* value of 25.5 to 30.5 CIELAB units, measured in each case as full shade in the alkyd resin according to DIN EN ISO 787-25:2007.

Aluminium-containing iron oxide pigments of the formula Fe.sub.2-xAl.sub.xO.sub.3 with x values from 0.01 to 0.25, characterized in that they possess an a* value of 30.5 to 32.5 CIELAB units and a b* value of 25.5 to 30.5 CIELAB units, measured in each case as full shade in the alkyd resin according to DIN EN ISO 787-25:2007.

In an aspect, a composition comprises a plurality of magnetic particles. The magnetic particles each independently comprise a nickel ferrite core having the formula Ni.sub.1−xM.sub.xPe.sub.2+yO.sub.4, wherein M is at least one of Zn, Mg, Co, Cu, Al, Mn, or Cr; x is 0 to 0.95, and y=−0.5 to 0.5; and an iron nickel shell at least partially surrounding the core, wherein the iron nickel shell comprises iron, nickel, and optionally M. In another aspect, a method of forming the magnetic particles comprises heat treating a plurality of nickel ferrite particles in a hydrogen atmosphere to form the plurality of magnetic particles having the iron nickel shell on the nickel ferrite core. In yet another aspect, a composite can comprise the magnetic particles and a polymer.

In an aspect, a composition comprises a plurality of magnetic particles. The magnetic particles each independently comprise a nickel ferrite core having the formula Ni.sub.1−xM.sub.xPe.sub.2+yO.sub.4, wherein M is at least one of Zn, Mg, Co, Cu, Al, Mn, or Cr; x is 0 to 0.95, and y=−0.5 to 0.5; and an iron nickel shell at least partially surrounding the core, wherein the iron nickel shell comprises iron, nickel, and optionally M. In another aspect, a method of forming the magnetic particles comprises heat treating a plurality of nickel ferrite particles in a hydrogen atmosphere to form the plurality of magnetic particles having the iron nickel shell on the nickel ferrite core. In yet another aspect, a composite can comprise the magnetic particles and a polymer.

A method of producing an ultraviolet protective agent composition, which has high transparency and excellent protection ability against a light of ultraviolet region of wavelengths of 200 to 420 nm, and an ultraviolet protective agent composition obtained by the production method are provided. The method of producing an ultraviolet protective agent composition includes at least step (a) of precipitating iron oxide microparticles by mixing with a microreactor an iron oxide raw material fluid containing at least Fe.sup.3+ ion, and an iron oxide precipitation fluid containing at least a basic substance; and step (b) of dispersing the above precipitated iron oxide microparticles in a dispersion medium to obtain iron oxide microparticle dispersion, wherein a haze value of the iron oxide microparticle dispersion is 2.0% or less, and a transmittance of the iron oxide microparticle dispersion for the light of the wavelengths of 200 to 420 nm is 2.0% or less.