Aqueous suspension of delaminated vermiculite

Claim 2

In a polymerizable composition comprising vermiculite platelets that have been deposited from an aqueous suspension, wherein the improvement comprises the platelets being ionically bonded to radical or ionically polymerizable organo-substituted onium ions.

Claim 3

A water stable, solid article prepared from chemically delaminated vermiculite platelets by radically or ionically polymerizing organo-substituted onium ions which have been ionically bonded to the said platelets.

Claim 4

A water stable, solid article prepared from chemically delaminated vermiculite platelets by radically or ionically polymerizing organo-substituted onium ions which have been ionically bonded to the said platelets.

Claim 5

The water soluble, solid article of claim 2, wherein the organo-substituted onium ions were polymerized by exposure to electron beam radiation in an amount sufficient to affect polymerization.

Claim 6

The water stable, solid article of claim 2, wherein the organo-substituted onium ions were polymerized by heat initiated radical polymerization.

Claim 7

The water stable, solid article of claim 2, wherein the organo-substituted onium ions were polymerized by an ionic process.

Claim 8

In a process for making an aqueous suspension of vermiculite platelets comprising the steps of: (1) contacting vermiculite ore with an aqueous salt solution of an onium ion so as to intercalate the ion between the silicate layers in the vermiculite ore; (2) immersing the onium ion-intercalated ore in water and allowing the ore to swell to at least twice its volume; (3) shearing the swollen ore into an aqueous suspension of vermiculite platelets having a maximum particle size of 200 microns; the improvement wherein the onium ion is an organo-substituted onium ion that can be polymerized by radical or ionic means.

Claim 9

In a process for making an aqueous suspension of vermiculite platelets comprising the steps of: (1) contacting vermiculite ore with an aqueous salt solution of an onium ion so as to intercalate the ion between the silicate layers in the vermiculite ore; (2) immersing the onium ion-intercalated ore in water and allowing the ore to swell to at least twice its volume; (3) shearing the swollen ore into an aqueous suspension of vermiculite platelets having a maximum particle size of 200 microns; the improvement wherein the onium ion is an organo-substituted onium ion that can be polymerized by radical or ionic means.

Claim 10

The process of claim 6 wherein platelets larger than 50 microns are eliminated from the suspension.

Claim 11

The process of claim 6 wherein the vermiculite ore in step 1 is a sodium or lithium intercalated vermiculite ore.

Claim 12

The process of claim 6, wherein the organo-substituted onium ion is selected from crotyltriethylammonium, allylammonium, methacryloxyethyltrimethylammonium, 3-acryloxyneopentyltrimethylammonium, 2-methacryloxy-ethyl-t-butylammonium, diallylammonium, diallyldimethylammonium, allyldimethylsulfonium, methacrylamidopropyltrimethylammonium, acrylamidopropyltrimethylammonium, butenyltrimethylammonium, and mixtures thereof.

Claim 13

The process of claim 9, wherein the organo-substituted onium ion is an allylammonium ion.

Claim 14

The process of claim 9, wherein the organo-substituted onium ion is diallyldimethylammonium.

Claim 15

The product made by the process of claim 6.

Claim 16

In a process for making an aqueous suspension of vermiculite platelets comprising contacting chemically delaminated vermiculite platelets with an aqueous salt solution of an onium ion so as to exchange the cation used to effectuate delamination for the onium ion; the improvement wherein the onium ion is an organo-substituted onium ion that can be polymerized by radical or ionic means.

Claim 17

In a process for making an aqueous suspension of vermiculite platelets comprising contacting chemically delaminated vermiculite platelets with an aqueous salt solution of an onium ion so as to exchange the cation used to effectuate delamination for the onium ion; the improvement wherein the onium ion is an organo-substituted onium ion that can be polymerized by radical or ionic means.

Claim 18

The process of claim 13 wherein platelets larger than 50 mircrons are eliminated from the suspension.

Claim 19

The process of claim 13, wherein the organo-substituted onium ion is selected from crotyltriethylammonium, allylammonium, methacryloxyethyltrimethylammonium, 3-acryloxyneopentyltrimethylammonium, 2-methacryloxy-ethyl-t-butylammonium, diallylammonium, diallyldimethylammonium, allyldimethylsulfonium, methacrylamidopropyltrimethylammonium, acrylamidopropyltrimethylammonium, butenyltrimethylammonium, vinylpyridinium ions and substituted vinylpyridinium, vinylbenzyldimethylsulfonium, vinylbenzyltrimethylammonium, 2,3-epoxypropyltrimethylammonium, triethylvinylphosphonium, tributylvinylphosphonium ions, α-ammonium-γ-butyrolactone, glycidyltrimethylammonium, 1-methyl-1-tert butylaziridinium, 1-ethyl-1,3,3-trimethyl azetidinium, and mixtures thereof.

Claim 20

The process of claim 13, wherein the organo-substituted onium ion is an allylammonium ion.

Claim 21

The process of claim 13, wherein the organo-substituted onium ion is diallyldimethylammonium.

Claim 22

The product made by the process of claim 13.