Abstract: There is disclosed a stable liquid gel of colorants useful for incorporation in thermoplastic and thermosetting resins. The liquid gel comprises a liquid vehicle which is a plasticizer for the resins and which is gelled by an organophilic, expanding lattice clay which is ion exchanged with alkyl ammonium ions. Preferably the gel is modified by the addition of certain hydroxyalkyl fatty amines or fatty imidazolium quaternaries. The clay is employed at a sufficient concentration to form a stable gel and is milled into the liquid vehicle to form a pre-gel of substantially lesser than the final, desired viscosity. Solid, subdivided colorants are blended into the pre-gel at a concentration from 10 to about 70 weight percent and the resultant mixture is milled to the final desired viscosity.

Abstract: There is disclosed a stable liquid gel of colorants useful for incorporation in thermoplastic and thermosetting resins. The liquid gel comprises a liquid vehicle which is a plasticizer for the resins and which is gelled by an organophilic, expanding lattice clay which is ion exchanged with alkyl ammonium ions. Preferably the gel is modified by the addition of certain hydroxyalkyl fatty amines or fatty imidazolium quaternaries. The clay is employed at a sufficient concentration to form a stable gel and is milled into the liquid vehicle to form a pre-gel of substantially lesser than the final, desired viscosity. Solid, subdivided colorants are blended into the pre-gel at a concentration from 10 to about 70 weight percent and the resultant mixture is milled to the final desired viscosity.