Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
86 words
A titanate of barium, strontium, or a mixture thereof, consisting essentially of solid, spherical, non-aggregated particles having a diameter of from 0.05 to 1 μm, having a narrow particle size distribution expressed by a polydispersity index, dw/dn, not in excess of 1.20, wherein dw is the weight average diameter and dn is the number average diameter, said spherical particles having a total average axial ratio, D=a/b, of at least 0.93, wherein b is the maximum diameter of each particle and a is the corresponding orthogonal diameter.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
86 words
A titanate of barium, strontium, or a mixture thereof, consisting essentially of solid, spherical, non-aggregated particles having a diameter of from 0.05 to 1 μm, having a narrow particle size distribution expressed by a polydispersity index, dw/dn, not in excess of 1.20, wherein dw is the weight average diameter and dn is the number average diameter, said spherical particles having a total average axial ratio, D=a/b, of at least 0.93, wherein b is the maximum diameter of each particle and a is the corresponding orthogonal diameter.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The titanate of claim 1, wherein the polydispersity index, dw/dn, is not in excess of 1.10.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
The titanate of claim 1 wherein the diameter of the spherical particles is from 0.15 to 0.5 μm.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
13 words
The titanate of claim 1, having a purity greater than 98% by weight.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The titanate of claim 1 additionally comprising an n-type or p-type doping agent in a concentration not in excess of 0.01% by weight.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The titanate of claim 5 wherein the doping agent is Al, Sn, Sb, Nb, Ta, Mn, Fe, or a rare earth element.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
The titanate of claim 1 wherein the Ba/Ti molar ratio is from about 0.60 to 1.10.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
88 words
A titanate of barium, strontium, or a mixture thereof, consisting essentially of solid, perfectly spherical particles having a diameter of from 0.05 to 1 μm, a particle size distribution, expressed by a polydispersity index, dw/dn, greater than 1.20 but not in excess of 2.00, wherein dw is the weight average diameter and dn is the number average diameter, said spherical particles having a total mean axial ratio, D=a/b, of at least 0.93, wherein b is the maximum diameter of each particle and a is the corresponding orthogonal diameter.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
88 words
A titanate of barium, strontium, or a mixture thereof, consisting essentially of solid, perfectly spherical particles having a diameter of from 0.05 to 1 μm, a particle size distribution, expressed by a polydispersity index, dw/dn, greater than 1.20 but not in excess of 2.00, wherein dw is the weight average diameter and dn is the number average diameter, said spherical particles having a total mean axial ratio, D=a/b, of at least 0.93, wherein b is the maximum diameter of each particle and a is the corresponding orthogonal diameter.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
13 words
The titanate of claim 8, having a purity greater than 98% by weight.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The titanate of claim 8, additionally comprising an n-type or p-type doping agent in a concentration not in excess of 0.01% by weight.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
160 words
A process for preparing a titanate of barium, strontium, or a mixture thereof, which comprises the steps of: (A) homogeneously precipitating a peroxidic precursor comprising Ti(IV) and M(II), wherein M is Ba, Sr or mixtures thereof, said precipitation comprising: (a) preparing a clear solution at a pH of from 9 to 11.5, which contains a soluble complex of Ti with a peroxidic compound V, a solution of ions M 2+ , wherein M is as previously defined, a compound Z capable of complexing with ion M 2+ and which may be oxidized by peroxidic compound V to provide decomposition products which are soluble in the solution; (b) heating the clear solution of step (a) in the presence of an excess of peroxidic compound V, to thereby homogeneously precipitate said peroxidic precursor; and (B) heating the peroxidic precursor to a temperature of at least 100° C. to obtain an amorphous titanate having the same morphology as that of said peroxidic precursor.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
160 words
A process for preparing a titanate of barium, strontium, or a mixture thereof, which comprises the steps of: (A) homogeneously precipitating a peroxidic precursor comprising Ti(IV) and M(II), wherein M is Ba, Sr or mixtures thereof, said precipitation comprising: (a) preparing a clear solution at a pH of from 9 to 11.5, which contains a soluble complex of Ti with a peroxidic compound V, a solution of ions M 2+ , wherein M is as previously defined, a compound Z capable of complexing with ion M 2+ and which may be oxidized by peroxidic compound V to provide decomposition products which are soluble in the solution; (b) heating the clear solution of step (a) in the presence of an excess of peroxidic compound V, to thereby homogeneously precipitate said peroxidic precursor; and (B) heating the peroxidic precursor to a temperature of at least 100° C. to obtain an amorphous titanate having the same morphology as that of said peroxidic precursor.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process of claim 11, wherein the peroxidic compound is H 2 O 2 .
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
39 words
The process of claim 11, wherein compound Z is an ammonium, sodium or potassium salt of ethylenediaminotetraacetic acid (EDTA), nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA), diethylenetriaminopentaacetic acid (DPTA), hydroxyethylenediaminotriacetic acid (HEDTA), cycloexylenedinitrilotetraacetic acid (CDTA), or the corresponding acid of any said salt.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 13, wherein said salt is an ammonium, sodium, or potassium salt of EDTA.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
101 words
The process of claim 12 wherein the H 2 O 2 concentration is from 0.17 to 2.10 molar, the concentration of the Ti and Ba or Sr ions is not in excess of 2×10 -2 molar; the M(II)/Ti molar ratio is from 0.8 to 1.2; the Z/M(II) molar ratio is from 1.4 to 2.6 when M=Ba 1 is from 1.0 to 1.5 when M=Sr, and is from (1.4 x+1.0 y) to (2.6 x+1.5 y) when M is a mixture of Sr and Ba, x being the molar fraction Ba 2+ and y the molar fraction of Sr 2+ , and x+y=1.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
36 words
The process of claim 13 wherein the molar concentrations of Ti and M(II) are from 2×10 -3 molar to 1×10 -2 molar and the concentration of H 2 O 2 is from 0.5 to 1.5 molar.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process of claim 14 wherein the Z/M molar ratio is 1.5 when M=Ba, and is 1.2 when M=Sr.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 11 which additionally comprises adding a dispersant in the preparation of said clear solution.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 18 wherein the dispersant is polyethylene glycol, polyvinyl alcohol, or non-ionic dextrane.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 11, wherein an n-type or p-type doping agent is added to said clear solution.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
54 words
The process of claim 11, wherein said clear solution comprises triethanolamine at a concentration of 2×10 -2 molar when the concentration of M(II) and Ti is greater than 1×10 -2 molar and at a concentration greater than 0.2 molar when M and Ti are at a concentration not in excess of 1×10 -2 molar.