COMPOSITION AND PROCESS FOR MAKING THE COMPOSITION

• US 20090111689A1
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Published: 04/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Secure Natural Resources LLC (MP Materials Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Chevron USA Incorporated (Chevron Corp.)
• Inventors: Burba, John L. III
• Granted Patent: US 8,349,764 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 502/402
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 39/00 Filtering material for liquid or gaseous fluids
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/0207 Compounds of Sc, Y or Lanthanides
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/0277 Carbonates of compounds other than those provided for in B01J20/043
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/06 comprising oxides or hydroxides of metals not provided for in group B01J20/04
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/2803 Sorbents comprising a binder, e.g. for forming aggregated, agglomerated or granulated products
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3028 Granulating, agglomerating or aggregating
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3042 Use of binding agents; addition of materials ameliorating the mechanical properties of the produced sorbent
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/281 using inorganic sorbents
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2101/103 Arsenic compounds

Abstract

An aggregate composition and process for making the aggregate composition. The aggregate composition includes an insoluble rare earth-containing compound and a polymer binder. The insoluble rare earth-containing compound can include one or more of cerium, lanthanum, or praseodymium. A suitable insoluble cerium-containing compound can be derived from cerium carbonate or a cerium salt. In a specific embodiment, the aggregate composition consists essentially of one or more cerium oxides, the polymer binder and optionally a flow aid. A process for making the composition includes mixing the insoluble rare earth-containing compound with a polymer binder to form a mixture, and subjecting the mixture to mechanical, chemical and/or thermal treatment to adhere the rare earth compound to the polymer binder. The aggregate composition can be used in a variety of fluid treatment applications to remove one or more chemical and biological contaminants in a fluid.

Claims

1. An aggregate composition for treating a fluid containing one or more contaminants, the composition comprising:

an insoluble rare earth-containing compound; and

a polymer binder.

2. The aggregate composition of claim 1, wherein the polymer binder is less than about 15% by weight of the composition.

3. The aggregate composition of claim 2, wherein the polymer binder is less than about 10% by weight of the composition.

4. The aggregate composition of claim 3, wherein the polymer binder is less than about 8% by weight of the composition.

5. The aggregate composition of claim 1, wherein the polymer binder comprises one or more polymers selected from the group consisting of thermosetting polymers, thermoplastic polymers, elastomeric polymers, cellulosic polymers, and glasses.

6. The aggregate composition of claim 5, wherein the polymer binder comprises a ethylene-vinyl copolymer and the insoluble rare earth-containing compound consist essentially of an anhydrous insoluble rare earth-containing compound.

7. The aggregate composition of claim 1, wherein the insoluble rare earth-containing compound comprises particulates adhered to an outer surface of the polymer binder.

8. The aggregate composition of claim 1, wherein the insoluble rare earth-containing compound comprises one or more of cerium, lanthanum, or praseodymium.

9. The aggregate composition of claim 7, wherein the insoluble rare earth-containing compound comprises a cerium-containing compound derived from one or more of thermal decomposition of a cerium carbonate, decomposition of cerium oxalate or precipitation of a cerium salt.

10. The aggregate composition of claim 7, wherein the insoluble rare earth-containing compound comprises a cerium oxide.

11. The aggregate composition of claim 10, wherein the composition consists essentially of one or more cerium oxides, the polymer binder, and optionally, a flow aid.

12. The aggregate composition of claim 1, wherein the insoluble rare earth-containing compound comprises particulates having a mean surface area of at least about 5 m²/g.

13. The aggregate composition of claim 12, wherein the insoluble rare earth-containing compound comprises particulates having a mean surface area of at least about 25 m²/g.

14. The aggregate composition of claim 1, wherein the composition comprises aggregated particulates having a mean aggregate size of at least about 1 μ

m.

15. The aggregate composition of claim 1, wherein the composition has an adsorption capacity for removing arsenic from an aqueous solution of at least about 50 mg of arsenic per gram of the aggregate composition.

16. The aggregate composition of claim 16, wherein the composition has an adsorption capacity for removing arsenic from an aqueous solution of at least about 60 mg of arsenic per gram of the aggregate composition.

17. The aggregate composition of claim 16, wherein the composition has an adsorption capacity for removing arsenic from an aqueous solution of at least about 70 mg of arsenic per gram of the aggregate composition.

18. A process for making an aggregate composition for treating a fluid containing one or more contaminants, comprising the steps of:

mixing an insoluble rare earth-containing compound with a polymer binder to form a mixture; and

subjecting the mixture to one or more of a mechanical, chemical and thermal treatment to adhere the insoluble rare earth-containing compound to the polymer binder.

19. The process of claim 18, wherein the polymer binder is a solid.

20. The process of claim 18, wherein mechanical treatment comprises one or more of compacting, compressing, pressing, mixing, extruding and applying vibration or waves to the mixture.

21. The process of claim 18, wherein chemical treatment comprises one or more of chemical conversion and use of an adhesive.

22. The process of claim 18, wherein the thermal treatment comprises heating the mixture to an elevated temperature;

the process further comprises allowing the mixture to cool to form an aggregate composition.

23. The process of claim 22, wherein the elevated temperature a temperature below the melting point of the polymer binder at which the polymer binder is malleable or tacky and the insoluble rare earth-containing compound adheres to the polymer binder.

24. The process of claim 18, further comprising reducing the size of the aggregate composition by one or more of cutting, crushing, milling, and sieving the aggregate composition.

25. The process of claim 18, wherein the polymer binder comprises one or more of fibers, particulates, aggregates of fibers and or particulates, and mixtures of the same.

26. The process of claim 18, wherein the insoluble rare earth-containing compound comprises particulates having a mean particle size of greater than about 1 nm.

27. The process of claim 18, wherein the insoluble rare earth-containing compound comprises one or more of cerium, lanthanum, or praseodymium.

28. The process of claim 27, wherein the insoluble rare earth-containing compound comprises a cerium-containing compound derived from one or more of thermal decomposition of a cerium carbonate, decomposition of cerium oxalate or precipitation of a cerium salt.

29. The process of claim 27, wherein the insoluble rare earth-containing compound comprises a cerium oxide.

30. The process of claim 29, wherein the aggregate composition consists essentially of one or more cerium oxides, the polymer binder and optionally, a flow aid.

31. The process of claim 18, wherein the insoluble rare earth-containing compound comprises particulates and the particulates adhere to an outer surface of the polymer binder.

32. The process of claim 18, wherein the polymer binder comprises one or more polymers selected from the group consisting of thermosetting polymers, thermoplastic polymers, elastomeric polymers, cellulosic polymers, and glasses.