Inorganic resin compositions, their preparation and use thereof

• US 6,103,007 A
• Filed: 07/10/1998
• Issued: 08/15/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Vrije Universiteit Brussel
• Original Assignee: Vrije Universiteit Brussel
• Inventors: Wu, Xiao, Gu, Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): GREEN, ANTHONY J
• Application Number:
  US09/077,005
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• Field of Search: 106/18.12, 106/18.14, 106/690, 106/691, 106/286.1, 106/286.2, 106/286.3, 106/286.4, 106/286.5, 106/286.6, 106/286.8, 106/287.1, 106/287.29 , 106/287.3, 427/397.7
• US Class Current: 106/690
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/043 Alkaline-earth metal silicates, e.g. wollastonite
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/06 Quartz; Sand
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 20/0048 Fibrous materials
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 22/0013 Boron compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 22/10 containing carbon in the anion
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 24/04 Carboxylic acids; Salts, anhydrides or esters thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 28/348 the starting mixture also containing one or more reactive oxides

Abstract

Inorganic resin compositions comprising, in combination, an aqueous solution of metal phosphate, an oxy-boron compound, a wollastonite compound and other optional additives, inorganic composite articles and products reinforced by fillers and fibers including glass fibers obtained from these compositions and processes for preparing said products.

Claims

1. An inorganic resin composition which comprises, in combination, as component A an acidic aqueous solution of metal phosphate containing phosphoric acid, as component B an oxy-boron compound, and as component C a wollastonite compound.

2. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the metal phosphate is selected from the group consisting of an aluminum phosphate, zirconium phosphate, magnesium phosphate, zinc phosphate, calcium phosphate, iron phosphate, and mixtures thereof.

3. The composition according to claim 1, wherein said oxy-boron compound is selected from the group consisting of boric acid and hydrates thereof, an alkali metal and alkaline-earth metal salt of boric acid and hydrates thereof, an amine and ammonium salt of boric acid and hydrates thereof, and mixtures thereof.

4. The composition according to claim 3, wherein said oxy-boron compound is selected from the group consisting of boric acid and hydrates thereof, sodium borate and hydrates thereof, ammonium borate and hydrates thereof, calcium borate and hydrates thereof, and mixtures thereof.

5. The composition according to claim 3, wherein said oxy-boron compound is present in a powder or liquid form.

6. The composition according to claim 1, wherein said wollastonite compound is a natural or synthetic wollastonite, in calcined or non-calcined state, or a combination thereof.

7. The composition according to claim 1, wherein said component A comprises, per 100 parts by weight of said wollastonite compound calculated on a basis of pure calcium silicate in said wollastonite compound:

said metal phosphate in an amount that contains 14 to 135 parts by weight of phosphorous pentoxide and

2 to 65 parts by weight of metal oxide.

8. The composition according to claim 7, wherein said component A comprises:

said metal phosphate in an amount that contains 24 to 86 parts by weight of phosphorous pentoxide and

5 to 47 parts by weight of metal oxide.

9. The composition according to claim 1, wherein a water content of the composition is from 8 to 150 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of said wollastonite compound calculated on a basis of pure calcium silicate in said wollastonite compound.

10. The composition according to claim 9, wherein the water content is from 11 to 95 parts by weight.

11. The composition according to claim 1, wherein said oxy-boron compound is present, calculated on an anhydrous basis, in an amount of 0.2 to 50 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of said wollastonite compound calculated on a basis of pure calcium silicate in said wollastonite compound.

12. The composition according to claim 11, wherein said oxy-boron compound, calculated on an anhydrous basis, is present in an amount of 2 to 20 parts by weight.

13. The composition according to claim 6, wherein a particle size and an aspect ratio of the wollastonite are not larger than 150 μ

m and 10 respectively.

14. The composition according to claim 1, which further comprises an additive selected from the group consisting of fibres, a filler, a foaming agent, a surfactant, a pigment, and a combination thereof.

15. The composition according to claim 14, wherein said surfactant is zinc stearate.

16. The composition according to claim 14, wherein said foaming agent is a carbonate, in a powder form or in an aqueous solution, selected from the group consisting of calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, and a combination thereof.

17. The composition according to claim 14, wherein said filler is silica or a derivative thereof.

18. The composition according to claim 14, wherein said additive is a fibre selected from the group consisting of metal fibre, organic fibre, and non-metal inorganic fibre.

19. The composition according to claim 1, in the form of a cured shape.

20. The composition of claim 18 in the form of a cured, prepreg shape.

21. The composition of claim 18, wherein the fibre is glass fibre.

22. The composition of claim 20, wherein the fibre is glass fibre.

23. A process for preparing an inorganic resin composition in the form of a cured shape, said composition comprising, in combination, as component A an acidic aqueous solution of metal phosphate containing phosphoric acid, as component B an oxy-boron compound, and as component C a wollastonite compound, which process comprises:

mixing said acidic aqueous solution of metal phosphate with said oxy-boron compound at a temperature and for a time sufficient to form a further aqueous solution,

contacting said wollastonite compound with the further aqueous solution to form a slurry, and

applying said slurry on a surface, wherein said slurry sets to the form of the cured shape of the inorganic resin composition.

24. The process according to claim 23, which further comprises maintaining said slurry at a temperature sufficiently low to retard a setting reaction before being brought on said surface.

25. The process according to claim 23, wherein said surface comprises a fibre mat made of fibres selected from the group consisting of inorganic, organic and/or metallic fibres.

26. The process according to claim 25, whereby applying the slurry on said fibre mat effects impregnating said fibre mat with said slurry, whereby said slurry sets to the form of a cured, fibre reinforced shape.

27. The process according to claim 23, wherein said surface is comprised of metal, organic, or inorganic material.

28. A process for preparing an inorganic resin composition in the form of a cured, prepreg shape, which composition comprises, in combination, as component A an acidic aqueous solution of metal phosphate containing phosphoric acid, as component B an oxy-boron compound, and as component C a wollastonite compound, and which composition further comprises a fibre selected from the group consisting of metal fibre, organic fibre, and non-metal inorganic fibre, which process comprises:

mixing said component A, said component B, said component C to form a slurry,

impregnating fibres with said slurry to form a prepreg,

maintaining said prepreg at a temperature sufficiently low to prevent curing thereof, and

applying said prepreg on a surface that supports said prepreg, wherein the slurry in said fibres sets to the form of the cured, prepreg shape.

29. A method of using an inorganic resin composition comprising incorporating said composition as a binder into a coating or surfacing agent, said composition comprising in combination, as component A an acidic aqueous solution of metal phosphate containing phosphoric acid, as component B an oxy-boron compound, and as component C a wollastonite compound.

30. A method of using an inorganic resin composition, which composition comprises, in combination, as component A an acidic aqueous solution of metal phosphate containing phosphoric acid, as component B an oxy-boron compound, and as component C a wollastonite compound, and which composition further comprises a fibre selected from the group consisting of metal fibre, organic fibre, and non-metal inorganic fibre, said method comprising incorporating said cured prepreg shape into a coating or surfacing agent.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the shaped form has a foamed structure.