Abstract: The present invention provides titania particles which are formed by providing a titania sol and spray drying the titania sol. A morphology of the dried titania particles is controlled by producing the titania sol from a TiO2 containing slurry and controlling the pH of the slurry to be 3 pH units or more from the iso-electric point of the titania by adding a peptizing agent to reduce an extent to which the titania sol is flocculated, or by producing the titania sol from a TiO2 containing slurry and adjusting the iso-electric point to be 3 pH units or more from the pH of the slurry by adding a dispersant to reduce an extent to which the titania sol is flocculated. The titania particles have a continuous exterior convex surface, a diameter of 30 ?m or less, a BET specific surface area of 50 m2/g or more, and are porous.

Abstract: The present invention provides a coating composition suitable for use in forming a coating that can reduce a concentration of pollutant gases in the environment. The coating composition includes from 0.01 to 10 vol.-% of mesoporous titania particles, relative to a total volume of the coating composition, and from 5 to 99.99 vol.-% of a polymeric material, relative to the total volume of the coating composition. The mesoporous titania particles have a continuous exterior convex surface, a particle diameter of ?1 ?m but ? to 50 ?m, a BET specific surface area of from 30 to 350 m2/g, a modal pore diameter of ?5 nm but ?50 nm, and a pore size distribution so that 85% or more of a total pore volume is associated with pores having a diameter of 10 ?m or less.

Abstract: The present invention provides titania particles which are formed by providing a titania sol and spray drying the titania sol. A morphology of the dried titania particles is controlled by producing the titania sol from a TiO2 containing slurry and controlling the pH of the slurry to be 3 pH units or more from the iso-electric point of the titania by adding a peptizing agent to reduce an extent to which the titania sol is flocculated, or by producing the titania sol from a TiO2 containing slurry and adjusting the iso-electric point to be 3 pH units or more from the pH of the slurry by adding a dispersant to reduce an extent to which the titania sol is flocculated. The titania particles have a continuous exterior convex surface, a diameter of 30 ?m or less, a BET specific surface area of 50 m2/g or more, and are porous.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for the production of titania particles with a desired morphology. The process comprises providing a titania sol and then drying the sol to provide dried titania particles. The process is characterized in that the morphology of the dried titania particles is controlled by applying one or more of the following criteria: (a) the titania sol is produced from a TiO2 containing slurry obtained using a precipitation step in a sulphate process, wherein the size of micelles formed during the precipitation is controlled; (b) the titania sol is produced from a TiO2 containing slurry and the pH of the slurry is controlled in order to affect the extent to which the titania sol is flocculated; (c) the titania sol is produced from a TiO2 containing slurry and the iso-electric point of the titania is adjusted in order to affect the extent to which the titania sol is flocculated; (d) the titania sol is dried by application of heat and the temperature used during the drying step is controlled.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for the production of titania particles with a desired morphology. The process comprises providing a titania sol and then drying the sol to provide dried titania particles. The process is characterised in that the morphology of the dried titania particles is controlled by applying one or more of the following criteria: (a) the titania sol is produced from a TiO2 containing slurry obtained using a precipitation step in a sulphate process, wherein the size of micelles formed during the precipitation is controlled; (b) the titania sol is produced from a TiO2 containing slurry and the pH of the slurry is controlled in order to affect the extent to which the titania sol is flocculated; (c) the titania sol is produced from a TiO2 containing slurry and the iso-electric point of the titania is adjusted in order to affect the extent to which the titania sol is flocculated; (d) the titania sol is dried by application of heat and the temperature used during the drying step is controlled.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for producing a concentrated aqueous nano titania sol in the mild pH range (4.0 to 10.0) comprising contacting an acidic nano titania sol with a dispersant and with an alkalizing agent, and subjecting the nano titania sol to membrane filtration until the nano titania sol contains more than 300 g TiO2 nanoparticles/dm3. The nano titania sol may further be subjected to a coating treatment within any of the steps of the above described process. The concentrated aqueous nano titania sol of this disclosure is suitable for use in a variety of applications, including providing UV protection and photochemically degrading or inactivating contaminants.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of characterizing a scattering colored pigment for use in the determination of the absorption and scattering coefficients of the scattering colored pigment, the method comprising the step of obtaining a reflectance spectrum of a mixture of the scattering colored pigment with a substantially non-absorbing scattering pigment at a plurality of different volume fractions wherein the substantially non-absorbing scattering pigment has a particle size greater than 0.6 micron. Also provided is a pigment characterization system adapted to perform the method of the invention to characterize a scattering colored pigment.

Abstract: The invention provides a layered colored solar reflective system comprising (i) a first layer comprising a first particulate material having a substantially rutile crystal habit and an average particle size within a range of about 0.55 ?m and about 0.95 ?m, dispersed in a vehicle and (ii) a second layer positioned on at least a portion of the first layer, the second layer comprising a second particulate material having a substantially rutile crystal habit and an average particle size within a range of about 1.0 ?m and 1.6 ?m, and a colorant dispersed in a vehicle. The layered color solar reflective system may be applied onto a structure to provide a dark, intense color as well as enhanced total solar reflectance.

Abstract: A process for forming a coating layer on a substrate comprising: depositing a thin film of a concentrated aqueous nano titania sol onto at least a portion of the substrate; exposing at least a portion of the deposited film to a sufficient amount of ultraviolet radiation in order to gel the film of aqueous sol; and drying at least a portion of the gelled portion, thereby forming the coating layer.

Abstract: The invention provides a layered colored solar reflective system comprising (i) a first layer comprising a first particulate material having a substantially rutile crystal habit and an average particle size within a range of about 0.55 ?m and about 0.95 ?m, dispersed in a vehicle and (ii) a second layer positioned on at least a portion of the first layer, the second layer comprising a second particulate material having a substantially rutile crystal habit and an average particle size within a range of about 1.0 ?m and 1.6 ?m, and a colorant dispersed in a vehicle. The layered color solar reflective system may be applied onto a structure to provide a dark, intense color as well as enhanced total solar reflectance.

Abstract: The present invention provides a colored solar reflective system comprising (1) a particulate material having a substantially rutile crystal habit and having an average particle size of between about 0.5 ?m and about 2.0 ?m and (2) an organic pigment having a maximum absorption coefficient of about 5,000 mm?1 or greater in the visible light region, a maximum scattering coefficient of about 500 mm?1 or less in the visible light region and an average absorption coefficient of about 50 mm?1 or less in the infrared region. The solar reflective system, which may be used in a coating composition or as a composition from which articles can be formed, exhibits a dark, intense color while also providing enhanced total solar reflectance.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of characterising a scattering coloured pigment for use in the determination of the absorption and scattering coefficients of the scattering coloured pigment, the method comprising the step of obtaining a reflectance spectrum of a mixture of the scattering coloured pigment with a substantially non-absorbing scattering pigment at a plurality of different volume fractions wherein the substantially non-absorbing scattering pigment has a particle size greater than 0.6 micron. Also provided is a pigment characterisation system adapted to perform the method of the invention to characterise a scattering coloured pigment.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for producing a concentrated aqueous nano titania sol in the mild pH range (4.0 to 10.0) comprising contacting an acidic nano titania sol with a dispersant and with an alkalizing agent, and subjecting the nano titania sol to membrane filtration until the nano titania sol contains more than 300 g TiO2 nanoparticles/dm3. The nano titania sol may further be subjected to a coating treatment within any of the steps of the above described process. The concentrated aqueous nano titania sol of this disclosure is suitable for use in a variety of applications, including providing UV protection and photochemically degrading or inactivating contaminants.