Concentrated zirconia and hafnia aquasols and their preparation

Claim 2

AN AQUASOL OF AN OXIDE OF A METAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ZIRCONIUM AND HAFNIUM, THE SOL HAVING AN AVERAGE PARTICLE SIZE FROM 5 TO 200 MILLICROMS AND BEING CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT THE PERCENT OF SOLIDS IN THE DISPERSED PHASE IS AT LEAST 30.

Claim 3

IN A PROCESS FOR PREPARING A SOL OF AN OXIDE OF A METAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ZIRCONIUM AND HAFNIUM, THE STEPS COMPRISING HEATING AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION OF A SALT OF THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ZIRCONYL AND HAFNYL SALTS UNDER THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS: MOL RATIO OF ANION:METAL OF 0.5:1 TO 4:1 TEMPERATURE OF 120 TO 300*C. TO FORM COLLOIDAL PARTICLES OF THE OXIDE OF THE METAL IN AN AQUEOUS MEDIUM, COOLING THE PARTICLES AND THE AQUEOUS MEDIUM TO ROOM TEMPERATURE, AND THEREAFTER LOWERING THE HYDROGEN ION CONTENT OF SAID AQUEOUS MEDIUM UNTIL IT PH IS IN THE RANGE FROM 2 TO 6.

Claim 4

IN A PROCESS FOR PREPARING A SOL OF AN OXIDE OF A METAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ZIRCONIUM AND HAFNIUM, THE STEPS COMPRISING HEATING AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION OF A SALT OF THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ZIRCONYL AND HAFNYL SALTS UNDER THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS: MOL RATIO OF ANION:METAL OF 0.5:1 TO 4:1 TEMPERATURE OF 120 TO 300*C. TO FORM COLLOIDAL PARTICLES OF THE OXIDE OF THE METAL IN AN AQUEOUS MEDIUM, COOLING THE PARTICLES AND THE AQUEOUS MEDIUM TO ROOM TEMPERATURE, AND THEREAFTER LOWERING THE HYDROGEN ION CONTENT OF SAID AQUEOUS MEDIUM UNTIL IT PH IS IN THE RANGE FROM 2 TO 6.