Superparamagnetic wax compositions useful in magnetic levitation separations

Claim 2

Superparamagnetic composition which comprises a mixture of from 10 to 90 weight percent of a hydrocarbon wax and from 90 to 10 weight percent of an oxygenated wax based on the total wax content of the overall composition, said total wax constituting at least 10 containing a colloidal dispersion therein of from 1 to 70 weight percent, based on the weight of the overall composition of a superparamagnetic substance, and from 1 to 20 weight percent based on the weight of the overall composition of at least one surface active agent selected from the group consisting of anionic, cationic, and non-ionic dispersants, said dispersant being at least partially solvatable in the said wax mixture.

Claim 3

Composition to claim 1 which has a transition from the solid to the liquid state at a temperature above 40° C. and below 150° C.

Claim 4

Composition according to claim 1 which has a transition from the solid state to the liquid state at a temperature above 50° C. and below 65° C., said transition being complete over the span of from 3 to 10° C.

Claim 5

Composition according to claim 2 wherein the oxygenated wax is beeswax and the hydrocarbon wax is a paraffin wax.

Claim 6

Composition according to claim 4 wherein the dispersant is oleic acid.

Claim 7

Composition according to claim 3 wherein the superparamagnetic substance is colloidal magnetite.

Claim 8

Composition according to claim 6 wherein the particle size of the colloidal magnetite ranges from 50 to 150 Angstroms.

Claim 9

Superparamagnetic composition which comprises a mixture of from 10 to 90 weight percent of an aliphatic hydrocarbon wax having a predominant content of paraffinic hydrocarbons having molecular weights of greater than 190 and from 90 to 10 weight percent of an oxygenated wax having a predominant content of high molecular weight organic acids, alcohols and non-glycerol esters of long chain organic acids, the weight of each of the hydrocarbon wax and the oxygenated wax being based on the total wax content of the overall composition, said total wax constituting at least 10 weight percent of the overall composition, said wax mixture containing a colloidal dispersion therein of from 1 to 70 weight percent, based on the weight of the overall composition of a superparamagnetic substance, and from 1 to 20 weight percent based on the weight of the overall composition of at least one surface active agent selected from the group consisting of anionic, cationic, and non-ionic dispersants, said dispersant being at least partially solvatable in the said wax mixture.

Claim 10

Superparamagnetic composition which comprises a mixture of from 10 to 90 weight percent of an aliphatic hydrocarbon wax having a predominant content of paraffinic hydrocarbons having molecular weights of greater than 190 and from 90 to 10 weight percent of an oxygenated wax having a predominant content of high molecular weight organic acids, alcohols and non-glycerol esters of long chain organic acids, the weight of each of the hydrocarbon wax and the oxygenated wax being based on the total wax content of the overall composition, said total wax constituting at least 10 weight percent of the overall composition, said wax mixture containing a colloidal dispersion therein of from 1 to 70 weight percent, based on the weight of the overall composition of a superparamagnetic substance, and from 1 to 20 weight percent based on the weight of the overall composition of at least one surface active agent selected from the group consisting of anionic, cationic, and non-ionic dispersants, said dispersant being at least partially solvatable in the said wax mixture.

Claim 11

Composition according to claim 8 in which the hydrocarbon wax is a paraffin wax and the oxygenated wax is at least one selected from the group consisting of beeswax, carnauba, ouricury, palm, raffra, Japan, esparto, spermaceti and bayberry.