Manganese dioxide and process for the production thereof

Claim 2

Manganese dioxide having a surface area no greater than about 15 square meters/gram and having an X-ray diffraction pattern indicating relative intensities, when compared with crystalline beta manganese dioxide, of no greater than about 30% at d value 3.12 Å, of no greater than about 80% at d value 2.41 Å, of no greater than about 65% at d value 1.63 Å0 and of no greater than about 65% at d value 1.31 Å.

Claim 3

The manganese dioxide of claim 1 wherein the surface area is no greater than about 10 square meters/gram.

Claim 4

The manganese dioxide of claim 1 wherein the surface area is no greater than about 5 square meters/gram.

Claim 5

The manganese dioxide of claim 1 wherein said manganese dioxide will not pick up more than about 750 parts per million of water in 5 hours when exposed to an atmosphere possessing a relative humidity of 20% at a temperature of 21° C.

Claim 6

A process for the production of manganese dioxide from manganous nitrate hexahydrate-containing material comprising the steps of: (a) heating in an oxygen-containing atmosphere manganous nitrate hexahydrate-containing material to between about 120° C. and about 180° C. until a substantially complete decomposition of the manganous nitrate into manganese dioxide has occurred; and (b) further elevating the temperature to between about 210° C. and about 300° C., and maintaining this temperature until the manganese dioxide has a surface area of no greater than about 15 m 2 /gm and an X-ray diffraction pattern indicating relative intensities, when compared with crystalline beta manganese dioxide, of no greater than about 30% at d value 3.12 Å, no greater than about 80% at d value 2.41 Å, no greater than about 65% at d value 1.63 Å and no greater than about 65% at d value 1.31 Å.

Claim 7

A process for the production of manganese dioxide from manganous nitrate hexahydrate-containing material comprising the steps of: (a) heating in an oxygen-containing atmosphere manganous nitrate hexahydrate-containing material to between about 120° C. and about 180° C. until a substantially complete decomposition of the manganous nitrate into manganese dioxide has occurred; and (b) further elevating the temperature to between about 210° C. and about 300° C., and maintaining this temperature until the manganese dioxide has a surface area of no greater than about 15 m 2 /gm and an X-ray diffraction pattern indicating relative intensities, when compared with crystalline beta manganese dioxide, of no greater than about 30% at d value 3.12 Å, no greater than about 80% at d value 2.41 Å, no greater than about 65% at d value 1.63 Å and no greater than about 65% at d value 1.31 Å.

Claim 8

The process of claim 5 wherein the temperature in step (a) is maintained for a period of between about 1 and about 4 hours.

Claim 9

The process of claim 6 wherein the temperature in step (b) is maintained for a period of between about 1 and about 4 hours.

Claim 10

The process of claim 5 wherein the temperature in step (a) is about 150° C., and such temperature is maintained for a period of about 2 hours.

Claim 11

The process of claim 8 wherein the temperature is elevated in step (b) to 250° C. and maintained at this temperature for about 2 hours.