Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
86 words
Spherical particles comprising an amorphous composition composed of (1) silica and (2) 0.01 to 20 mole %, based on silica, of an oxide of a metal of Group IV of the periodic table and having a particle size of 0.1 to 1.0 μm, said components (1) and (2) being present in the chemically bonded state and being inseparable from each other, said particles having a refractive index of from 1.35 to 1.70 and a narrow particle size distribution having a standard deviation value smaller than 1.30.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
86 words
Spherical particles comprising an amorphous composition composed of (1) silica and (2) 0.01 to 20 mole %, based on silica, of an oxide of a metal of Group IV of the periodic table and having a particle size of 0.1 to 1.0 μm, said components (1) and (2) being present in the chemically bonded state and being inseparable from each other, said particles having a refractive index of from 1.35 to 1.70 and a narrow particle size distribution having a standard deviation value smaller than 1.30.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
The spherical particles of claim 1 which have a specific surface area of 1 to 100 m 2 /g.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The spherical particles of claim 1 which have a specific surface area of 100 to 200 m 2 /g.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The spherical particles of claim 1 wherein the oxide of the metal of Group IV is titanium oxide, zirconium oxide, germanium oxide or tin oxide.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
146 words
A process for producing an amorphous inorganic oxide composition, which comprises partially hydrolyzing a hydrolyzable organic silicon compound in an organic solvent, mixing the partially hydrolyzed product and a hydrolyzable organic compound of a metal (M) of Group IV of the periodic table in an organic solvent so that the proportion of MO 2 is 0.01 to 20 mole % based on SiO 2 , adding the mixed solution to a hydrous alkaline solvent capable of dissolving the organic silicon compound and the organic compound of the Group IV metal but substantially incapable of dissolving the reaction product, reacting the partially hydrolyzed product of the organic silicon compound and the organic compound of the Group IV metal at a temperature of 0° to 40° C. under hydrolysis and precipitating spherical particles of an amorphous composition of silica and an oxide of a metal of Group IV.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
146 words
A process for producing an amorphous inorganic oxide composition, which comprises partially hydrolyzing a hydrolyzable organic silicon compound in an organic solvent, mixing the partially hydrolyzed product and a hydrolyzable organic compound of a metal (M) of Group IV of the periodic table in an organic solvent so that the proportion of MO 2 is 0.01 to 20 mole % based on SiO 2 , adding the mixed solution to a hydrous alkaline solvent capable of dissolving the organic silicon compound and the organic compound of the Group IV metal but substantially incapable of dissolving the reaction product, reacting the partially hydrolyzed product of the organic silicon compound and the organic compound of the Group IV metal at a temperature of 0° to 40° C. under hydrolysis and precipitating spherical particles of an amorphous composition of silica and an oxide of a metal of Group IV.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
171 words
A process for producing an amorphous inorganic oxide composition which comprises partially hydrolyzing a hydrolyzable organic silicon compound in an organic solvent, mixing the partially hydrolyzed product and a hydrolyzable organic compound of a metal (M) of Group IV of the periodic table in an organic solvent so that the proportion of MO 2 is 0.01 to 20 mole % based on SiO 2 , adding the mixed solution to a hydrous alkaline solvent capable of dissolving the organic silicon compound and the organic compound of the Group IV metal but substantially incapable of dissolving the reaction product, reacting the partially hydrolyzed product of the organic silicon compound and the organic compound of the Group IV metal at a temperature of 0° to 40° C. under hydrolysis, thus precipitating spherical particles of an amorphous composition of silica and an oxide of a metal of Group IV, and thereafter adding a hydrolyzable organic silicon compound to the reaction system to perform hydrolysis and deposit silica on the surface of the spherical particles.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
171 words
A process for producing an amorphous inorganic oxide composition which comprises partially hydrolyzing a hydrolyzable organic silicon compound in an organic solvent, mixing the partially hydrolyzed product and a hydrolyzable organic compound of a metal (M) of Group IV of the periodic table in an organic solvent so that the proportion of MO 2 is 0.01 to 20 mole % based on SiO 2 , adding the mixed solution to a hydrous alkaline solvent capable of dissolving the organic silicon compound and the organic compound of the Group IV metal but substantially incapable of dissolving the reaction product, reacting the partially hydrolyzed product of the organic silicon compound and the organic compound of the Group IV metal at a temperature of 0° to 40° C. under hydrolysis, thus precipitating spherical particles of an amorphous composition of silica and an oxide of a metal of Group IV, and thereafter adding a hydrolyzable organic silicon compound to the reaction system to perform hydrolysis and deposit silica on the surface of the spherical particles.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
35 words
The process of claim 5 or 6 wherein the organic solvent in which the hydrolyzable organic silicon compound is partially hydrolyzed contains water in an H 2 O/Si mole ratio of from 0.1 to 3.0.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process of claim 5 or 6 wherein the resulting spherical particles are calcined at a temperature of 200° to 1,300° C.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 5 or 6 wherein the organic silicon compound is an alkoxy-substituted silicon compound.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 5 or 6 wherein the organic compound of the Group IV metal is an alkoxy-substituted titanium, zirconium or germanium compound.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process of claim 5 or 6 wherein the mixed solution is an alcoholic solution.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process of claim 5 or 6 wherein the alkaline solvent is an ammoniacal alcohol.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 5 or 6 wherein seeds of silica are incorporated in the alkaline solvent.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
49 words
The process of claim 13 wherein the seeds of silica are obtained by adding a hydrolyzable organic silicon compound to a hydrous alkaline solvent capable of dissolving the organic silicon compound but incapable of dissolving silica formed by the hydrolysis, and hydrolyzing the organic silicon compound to precipitate silica.