Dispersible carbonblack pellets

Claim 2

A carbon black pellet comprising carbon black having a FDBP value less than or equal to 92 cc/100 g carbon as determined at ASTM D 2414 and 10 to less than 48% by weight of an organic compound or a mixture of organic compounds, said pellet having been formed by agglomeration at a temperature above the melting point of the organic compound or mixture of organic compounds in the absence of water, wherein the organic compound or mixture of organic compounds has the following characteristics: a) a melting point of at least 25° C., b) when molten and at the agglomeration temperature employed, exhibits less than 5% decomposition or degradation, c) when molten and at the agglomeration temperature employed, exhibits a viscosity below 2 Pa·s at a shear rate of 10 s -1 and d) when molten, wets the carbon black.

Claim 3

A carbon black pellet according to claim 1 wherein the melting point of the organic compound or mixture of organic compounds exceeds 45° C.

Claim 4

A carbon black pellet according to claim 1 wherein the organic compound or mixture of organic compounds is at least one of a non-polymeric organic compound, an organic thermoplastic homopolymer, an organic thermoplastic copolymer and a wax.

Claim 5

A carbon black pellet according to claim 1 wherein the pellet is formed by dry pelletization.

Claim 6

A carbon black pellet according to claim 1 wherein the pellet is formed by pin pelletization.

Claim 7

A carbon black pellet according to claim 1, wherein the molten organic compound or the mixture of molten organic compounds has a density (ρ liq ) which is less than or equal to 1.0 g/cc.

Claim 8

A carbon black pellet according to claim 5 wherein the minimum percent organic compound content of the pellet, W liq ,min, is equal to or exceeds the amount defined by the following equation: W.sub.liq,min ≧ρ.sub.liq (100φ)/(1+p.sub.liq φ) wherein φ=[(CDBP)-21.5]/127.0, ρ liq is the density of the molten organic compound or the mixture of molten organic compounds in g/cc, and CDBP is determined by ASTM D 3493 0 93.

Claim 9

The use of a pellet according to claim 1 as masterbatch or concentrate.

Claim 10

A method of using a carbon black pellet according to claim 1 as a masterbatch or concentrate.

Claim 11

A process for preparing a carbon black pellet comprising carbon black having a FDBP value less than or equal to 92 cc/100 g carbon as determined by ASTM D-2414 and 10 to less than 48% by weight of an organic compound or a mixture of organic compounds, comprising agglomerating a carbon black with an organic compound or mixture of organic compounds at a temperature above the melting point of the organic compound or mixture of organic compounds in the absence of water, wherein the organic compound or mixture of organic compounds has the following characteristics: a) a melting point of at least 25° C.; b) when molten and at the agglomeration temperature employed, exhibits less than 5% decomposition or degradation, c) when molten and at the agglomeration temperature employed, exhibits a viscosity below 2 Pa·.s at a shear rate of 10 S -1 and d) when molten, wets the carbon black.

Claim 12

A process for preparing a carbon black pellet comprising carbon black having a FDBP value less than or equal to 92 cc/100 g carbon as determined by ASTM D-2414 and 10 to less than 48% by weight of an organic compound or a mixture of organic compounds, comprising agglomerating a carbon black with an organic compound or mixture of organic compounds at a temperature above the melting point of the organic compound or mixture of organic compounds in the absence of water, wherein the organic compound or mixture of organic compounds has the following characteristics: a) a melting point of at least 25° C.; b) when molten and at the agglomeration temperature employed, exhibits less than 5% decomposition or degradation, c) when molten and at the agglomeration temperature employed, exhibits a viscosity below 2 Pa·.s at a shear rate of 10 S -1 and d) when molten, wets the carbon black.

Claim 13

A process according to claim 10 wherein the melting point of the organic compound or mixture of organic compounds exceeds 45° C.

Claim 14

A process according to claim 10 wherein the organic compound or mixture of organic compounds is at least one of a non-polymeric organic compound, an organic thermoplastic homopolymer, an organic thermoplastic copolymer and a wax.

Claim 15

A process for preparing a carbon black pellet comprising carbon black and 10 to less than 48% by weight of an organic compound or a mixture of organic compounds, comprising agglomerating a carbon black with an organic compound or mixture of organic compounds at a temperature above the melting point of the organic compound or mixture of organic compounds in the absence of water, wherein the organic compound or mixture of organic compounds has the following characteristics: a) a melting point of at least 25° C.; b) when molten and at the agglomeration temperature employed, exhibits less than 5% decomposition or degradation, c) when molten and at the agglomeration temperature employed, exhibits a viscosity below 2 Pa·s at a shear rate of 10 S -1 , and wherein the pellet is formed by dry pelletization in a rotating drum.

Claim 16

A process for preparing a carbon black pellet comprising carbon black and 10 to less than 48% by weight of an organic compound or a mixture of organic compounds, comprising agglomerating a carbon black with an organic compound or mixture of organic compounds at a temperature above the melting point of the organic compound or mixture of organic compounds in the absence of water, wherein the organic compound or mixture of organic compounds has the following characteristics: a) a melting point of at least 25° C.; b) when molten and at the agglomeration temperature employed, exhibits less than 5% decomposition or degradation, c) when molten and at the agglomeration temperature employed, exhibits a viscosity below 2 Pa·s at a shear rate of 10 S -1 , and wherein the pellet is formed by dry pelletization in a rotating drum.

Claim 17

A process according to claim 10 wherein the pellet is formed by pin pelletization.

Claim 18

A process according to claim 10 wherein the minimum percent organic compound content of the pellet, W liq ,min, is equal to or exceeds the amount defined by the following equation: W.sub.liq,min ≧ρ.sub.liq (100φ)/(1+ρ.sub.liq φ) wherein φ=[(CDBP)-21.5]/127.0, ρ liq is the density of the molten organic compound or the mixture of molten organic compounds in g/cc, and CDBP is determined by ASTM D 3493 0 93.

Claim 19

The carbon black pellet of claim 1, wherein said organic compound is an ethylene homopolymer or copolymer wherein at least one monomer is butene, hexene, octene, norbornene, vinyl acetate, acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, C 1 -C 9 alkyl acrylate, maleic anhydride, or monoester of maleic acid and carbon monoxide; a propylene homopolymer or a propylene copolymer with ethylene; polynorbornene; polyoctenamer; a styrene homopolymer or copolymer wherein at least one monomer is alpha-methyl styrene, vinyl toluene, acrylonitrile, butadiene, maleic anhydride, indene, coumarone, or alkyl acrylate; or a polyethylene glycol.

Claim 20

The carbon black pellet of claim 1, wherein said organic compound is an ethylene oxide and propylene oxide polymer, an ethoxylated or ethoxylated/propoxylated phenol, an alkyl phenol, an aliphatic amine, an aliphatic amide, a polyhydric alcohol, a polyhydric alcohol ester, or a polyamine.

Claim 21

The carbon black pellet of claim 1, wherein said organic compound is a resin produced from the esterification of wood resin, gum resin, tall oil resin, abietic acid, or a hydrogenated derivative thereof, with a polyhydric alcohol selected from ethylene glycol, glycerol, or pentaerythritol.

Claim 22

The carbon black pellet of claim 1, wherein said organic compound is a condensation product of a dimer acid with a diol or diamine, a polycaprolactone, or a polycaprolactam.