Nacreous pigments and process for the production thereof
United States Patent [191 Bernhard et a1.  
 1 Apr. 1, 1975 1 1 NACREOUS PIGMENTS AND PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION THEREOF [75] Inventors: Horst Bernhard; Reiner Esselborn,  
 both of Darmstadt, Germany [73] Assignee: Merck Patent Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Darmstadt, Germany [22] Filed: Aug. 21, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 390,252  
 [30] Foreign Application Priority Data Sept. 9. 1972 Germany 2244298 [521 U.S. Cl 106/291, 106/299, 106/300,  
  106/304, 106/308 B Int. Cl. C09c 1/00 Field of Search 106/291, 308 B, 300, 304  
 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3.087.828 4/1963 Linton 106/291 3,711,308 1/1973 Brand et a1. 106/291 Primary Examiner-Winston A. Douglas Assistant E.\-aniiner-.1. V. Howard Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Mil1en, Raptes &amp; White [57] ABSTRACT Golden colored nacreous pigments are produced from 13 Claims, No Drawings NACREOUS PIGMENTS AND PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION THEREOF BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a process for the production of iron oxide colored &#39;liO or ZnO coated mica flakes.  
  Nacreous pigments whose gold hue is enhanced by the addition of iron oxides are known. For example, US. Pat. No. 3,71 1,308 and German Unexamined Published Application DOS 1,467,468 describes nacreous pigments consisting of coated translucent mica flakes. The coatings of the mica flakes are composed of metallic oxides having an average particle size of less than 100 nm. and have a thickness of about 250 nm. Interference colors are produced as a result of this coating on the mica flakes. Most well-known are mica llakes coated with titanium dioxide. The coatings of these conventional pigments can also contain iron oxide. Furthermore, it is also possible to apply colored metallic oxide layers on mica flakes coated with TiO and/or ZrO (see German Unexamined Published Application DOS l,467,468).  
  A special process for the production of a lustrous pigment with iron oxide additive is described in US. Pat. No. 3,711,308 (German Published Application DAS l,959,998 According to this disclosure, the layer containing the iron oxide is additionally coated with a layer of titanium and/or zirconium dioxide. In accordance with all processes known heretofore, the iron (III) oxide contained in such lustrous pigments is precipitated from iron (lll) salt solutions in an acidic range.  
  The literature contains the general express opinion that iron (Ill) salt solutions must be utilized for the precipitation so that if an iron (ll) salt solution is employed, it must first be oxidized to an iron (Ill) salt in order to obtain the desired pigments, because the desired golden-yellow hue is produced by Fe O It has now been found surprisingly that it is possible to obtain pigments of far superior brilliance and covering strength and a brighter gold hue by first precipitating iron (ll) hydroxide onto the coated mica flakes from an iron (II) salt solution and then oxidizing the thus-precipitated iron hydroxide to F6203. This is surprising. since the first-formed iron (II) hydroxide does not have a yellow or golden color hue but instead exhibits the known, dirty-green to black appearance of iron (ll) hydroxide precipitates. Thus, it was surprising that, contrary to all previous beliefs, superior golden pigments can be obtained by the precipitation of the iron hydroxide to be deposited from ferrous salt solu trons.  
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Improved golden colored nacreous pigments are produced from mica flakes coated with a layer of one or both of TiO and/or ZrO by coating them with Fe O by a process which comprises the steps of precipitating iron hydroxide onto the coated mica flakes at a pH above 5, preferably between 7.5 and 9, from an aqueous iron (II) salt solution and thereafter oxidizing the layer of thus-precipitated iron oxide on the coated mica flakes to Fe O DETAILED DISCUSSION Apparently it is necessary, in order to achieve the improved pigment effects, for the oxide or hydroxide to be present at the instant of being precipitated onto the coated mica flakes, in the low (II) oxidation stage. Surprisingly, a coating from Fe (III) salts or by precipitation from Fe (II) salts in the presence of oxidizing agents capable of oxidizing the Fe ions present in the solution does not yield the improved properties.  
  The required oxidation of the precipitated iron hydroxide iron (III) oxide should take place gradually and only after the iron hydroxide has adhered to the particles to be coated.  
  Preferably, iron (II) sulfate is employed as the watersoluble iron (II) salt, for example, as FeSO, 7H O. However, it is also possible to use other water-soluble iron (ll) salts such as, for example, ammonium iron (ll) sulfates, iron (II) halides, or iron (II) oxalate. The concentration of the salt solutions of the iron (ll) salt employed normally ranges between about 20 and 300 g./l., preferably between about 50 and g./l.  
  The precipitation proper takes place from an aqueous solution of the iron (II) salts at pH values of above 5, preferably between 7.5 and 9. Specifically, for iron (ll) sulfate, a pH of 8.0-8.5 is optimal. The required pH value can be achieved preferably by adding an alkali hydroxide or ammonium hydroxide or also by gaseous ammonia to the iron (ll) salt solution. The pH is maintained at as nearly constant value as possible during the precipitation.  
  The ferrous hydroxide is precipitated in accordance with the process of this invention preferably on mica flake pigments coated with one or both of titanium dioxide or titanium dioxide hydrate respectively, zirconium dioxide or zirconium dioxide hydrate, respectively, as they are described, for example, in German Patent 2,009,566. It is especially advantageous to utilize a golden pigment, i.e., one exhibiting as the interference color a gold hue upon direct view due to the coating with TiO and/or ZrO on account of the layer thickness of the higher-refractive coating on the mica flakes. Such a pigment has been described, for example, in Example 9 of German Patent 2,009,566. Thus, a pigment is especially advantageous wherein the iron hydroxide is precipitated on mica flakes having a diameter of about 5-250 microns and a thickness of about 0.1-5 microns, coated uniformly with an optionally hydrated layer of titanium dioxide in an amount of about 100-300 mg. TiO /m of the mica surface. Especially with such a pigment, a particularly impressive increase in the brilliance and covering power can be attained by precipitation of iron oxide thereon in accordance with this invention. Basically, it is, of course, possible to employ all of the other pigments formed from coated mica flakes, especially those having different layer thicknesses of Ti0 and/or ZrO It is also possible to conduct the precipitation of the iron hydroxides according to the process of this invention immediately following the precipitation of the TiO -hydrate and/or ZrO hydrate layers, preferably without isolation of the intermediately produced coated mica. Also, the further processing thereof can be omitted. Thus, the hydrolysis of the iron ([1) salts and the precipitation step can be effected sequentially in the same reaction vessel. It is merely necessary to vary the pH correspondingly.  
  The salt solution is uniformly introduced into the suspension of the particles to be coated and advantageously is fed beneath the surface of the liquid at one or several points. The feeding rate employed depends on the effectiveness of the agitator employed. The feeding rate is regulated, in order to attain optimum results, so that approximately 0.01 to 25 10&#39; mole of Fe ions is fed per minute per m of mica surface to be coated. Concurrently, with the introduction of the iron salt solution, an aqueous 0.025- molar alkali hydroxide or ammonium hydroxide solution, or an equivalent amount of gaseous ammonia, is fed to the reaction suspension to produce the iron hydroxide. The base is fed under controlled conditions so that the pH selected at the beginning of the coating process is always maintained at as nearly a constant value as possible.  
  It is also possible to add buffer systems during the hydrolysis, in order to keep the pH value constant. Such buffer systems are, for example, acetate and gylcocoll buffers of conventional composition. These can either be contained in the pigment suspension, or advantageously can be introduced alone with the alkali hydroxide or ammonium hydroxide solution. However, frequently the adding of further foreign ions is undesirable so that it is preferred to maintain the desired pH value constant by precisely metered feeding of the alkali.  
  As soon as the layer applied by the iron (II) salt solution has reached the desired thickness (about l-l0 nm.), the coating step is terminated. The thus-obtained pigments are worked up in accordance with conventional methods and isolated from the reaction mixture.  
 At this point, additional special advantages are derived carried out for 0.5-5 hours at about -l00 C. while agitating the suspension, whereby the layers are strengthened and the iron hydroxide layer, in most cases, is partially oxidized. Thereafter, the pigment is suitably washed thoroughly with water, preferably with desalted water, optionally after first adjusting the pH to close to the neutral point. The drying step takes place in the usual manner, for example with the product being spread out in the air on hurdles in dryingchambers, optionally also under reduced pressure. With the. use of normal pressure, the drying temperatures range between about 90 and 150 C.  
  The precipitate deposited from the iron (II) salt solution is most advantageously oxidized with atmospheric oxygen. The oxidation begins normally already during the precipitation reaction, since the suspension containing the pigment particles to be coated is well agitated, so that the reaction mixture is always saturated with atmospheric oxygen. Thus, due to the large surface area of the precipitate, a partial oxidation of the iron ([1) hydroxide can be initiated immediately. Since particularly good pigments are obtained by gradual oxidation, alternatively the coating step can be effected first under a nitrogen atmosphere which, however, is normally less advantageous economically, due to the associated expenditure in apparatus. When agitating under access of air, a sufficient amount of iron hydroxide for the desired success is always precipitated in the low oxidation stage. The oxidation of the Fe ions present in the solution is negligible under these reaction conditions.  
  The complete oxidation takes place after the precipitation step. Most simply, this reaction is combined with the dehydration step, e.g., by drying the pigment in air. The simultaneous dehydration and oxidation can be effected especially advantageously from a technical view point by spreading the coated mica flakes, which pref-. erably have previously been washed, in air, for example in hurdles in a drying chamber. In this way, gradual oxidation can be very simply accomplished. For this reason, this mode of conducting the oxidation step is also preferred over other possible modes of operation, wherein an oxidizing agent, e.g., hydrogen peroxide,  
 ammonium nitrate, or a permanganate, is added after i ing the precipitation of hydroxides from metallic salts i on mica flakes are amply described in all details in German Patent 2,009,566 and US. Pat. No. 3,7ll,308, whose disclosures are incorporated therein by reference. It is known from these disclosures that it is essen-&#39; tial for producing pigments of high quality that during the. precipitation the metallic salts are not supplied at a rate no faster than they can be converted to hydrox-. ide and adsorbed on the mica flakes, and in as nearly constant concentration as possible; that as nearly constant pH as possible is maintained during the hydroly-l sis, and that the rate of coating, i.e., the speed of application to the mica flakes is uniform. Therefore, the hydrolysis should be conducted at a constant temperature, a constant pH and a constant feeding rate of the metallic salt solutions. As stated above, it is essential that an excess of metallic ions in the suspension is avoided. Therefore, only such an amount of metallic salt should be fed to the hydrolysis reaction per unit time as can be absorbed as hydrated metallic oxide by the surface to be coated per unit time. By exactly maintaining these conditions, very uniform coatings and pig: ments with a smooth surface are obtained, which pigments thus exhibit especially brilliant colors and high luster.  
 The na&#39;creous pigments of this invention consist essentially of translucent micaceous flakes having an average diameter of about 5-250 microns, and a thickness of about 0.1-5 microns, and having on both faces a metallic oxide layer of uniform thickness of a metallic oxide selected from the group consisting of titanium dioxide, hydrated titanium dioxide, zirconium dioxide, hydrated zirconium dioxide, or a mixture of one or more thereof. In addition they contain Fe O this oxide being present in an amount of up to 20 percent, preferably about 0.5-l0 percent by weight, based upon the total weight of the pigment. The novel pigments are characterized by the Fe O being present as a substantially uniform layer of about l-l0 nm. thickness on the surface of said pigment layer and stemming from an at a temperature of about A iron (ll) hydroxide precipitated from a ferrous salt solution.  
  The pigments obtained according to the process of this invention open up entirely new fields of application, due to their astonishingly great brilliance and covering power, since the milky character of the heretofore known gold pigments of this type, which manifests itself especially, for example, when incorporated in a thick layer, such as in button panels, is eliminated. A further outstanding advantage of the pigments of this invention, compared to those known heretofore, is a markedly increased lightfastness which makes the products obtained in accordance with the disclosed process a satisfactory substitute for gold bronzes.  
  The colors of the nacreous pigments can best be observed when the pigments are incorporated into synthetic resin sheeting [films]. It is, of course, possible to disperse the novel pigments in the usual vehicles and further process same, just as the heretofore known lustrous pigments. The novel pigments are also eminently suitable particularly for cosmetic purposes, since they are composed from physiologically acceptable metallic oxides. However, they are utilized mainly as pigments for the dyeing, for example, of synthetic resins, cosmetic articles, such as lipsticks and soap, glass ceramic materials, varnishes, paints, as well as natural and artificial rubber articles. They are desirable because of their good light and weathering stability and, because of their temperature stability, are also suitable for enamels, for the dyeing of melts (glass) and ceramic material which is baked. Normally, the pigments are used in amounts of up to 30 percent, preferably about 0.5-l percent by weight. In synthetic resins, the proportion is normally relatively low, for example, 0.5-3 percent, while the amount used in cosmetic preparations, e.g., lipsticks, is up to 30 percent, preferably about 5-25 percent, of the total lipstick mass.  
  The novel pigments show, for example, after incorporation into synthetic resin films, brilliant colors which do not change when the angle of observation is varied.  
  Without further elaboration, it is believed that one skilled in the art can, using the preceding description, utilize the present invention to its fullest extent. The following preferred specific embodiments are, therefore, to be construed as merely illustrative, and not limitative of the remainder of the disclosure in any way whatsoever.  
 EXAMPLE I An aqueous titanium tetrachloride solution is produced from TiCl and hydrochloric acid containing 150 g. of TiCl /liter and 50-100 g. of HCl/liter. Four liters of fully deionized water is brought to a pH of 2.2 by adding this titanium tetrachloride solution. 200 g. of mica flakes having a particle diameter of between and 30 microns and a thickness of about 0.5 micron is then added thereto and the suspension is heated to 70-75 C. Thereafter, the titanium tetrachloride solution is fed thereto at a rate of about 450 ml./hour while simultaneously feeding a percent sodium hydroxide solution to the suspension at a rate which is regulated so that the pH of the suspension remains constant within the limits of 2.2-2.5. The coating is carried out until, after about 4 hours and 50 minutes, the desired gold hue has been achieved. In total, about 2.2 liters of titanium tetrachloride solution is consumed. The mixture is stirred for approximately 10 minutes, and then the pH of the mixture is increased to 8.0 by adding 20 percent aqueous sodium hydroxide.  
  Thereafter, a ferrous sulfate solution containing l5 g. of FeSO 7H O and 1 ml. of concentrated sulfuric acid per ml. of solution is added at a rate of 400 ml./hour. By the simultaneous addition of sodium hydroxide solution (20%), the pH is maintained at a substantially constant 8.0 by metered feeding. The iron hydroxide is precipitated as a greenish-black deposit and coats the pigment particles. After adding 400 ml. of FeSO solution, the coating step is terminated and the reaction mixture is stirred for 1 hour at 70-75 C. and allowed to stand overnight. Then, the pigment is separated and washed with fully desalted water. After drying in open hurdles in a drying chamber at about C., the now yellowish-golden pigment is annealed for 30 minutes at 950 C., thus obtaining a brilliantly golden pigment containing 4.8% Fe O EXAMPLE 2 10 kg. of the mica employed in Example 1 is suspended in liters of fully desalted water. The suspension is adjusted to a pH of approximately 3.5 by adding a hydrochloric zirconium tetrachloride solution (250 g. of ZrCl and 40 g. of HCl/liter). The suspension is heated under agitation to 70 C. and then again adjusted to a pH of 3.5 by adding 10 percent hydrochloric acid. Thereafter, additional amounts of the hydrochloric acid-zirconium tetrachloride solution are poured into the suspension at a rate of 6 l./hour. The pH is kept constant at 3.5 by the simultaneous addition of 35 percent NaOI-I. The coating step takes about 10 hours. The thus-obtained pigment is agitated in the suspension for about another 10 minutes. Then the pH is raised to 8.5 by the introduction of ammonia.  
  An iron sulfate solution at a rate of 20 liters/hour containing 150 g. of FeSO 7H O and 10 ml. of concentrated sulfuric acid per liter of solution is then added in metered quantities. By the simultaneous addition of a 20 percent sodium hydroxide solution, the pH is maintained at a substantially constant 8.0. After adding 20 liters of iron sulfate solution, the coating step is terminated and the product worked up as described in Example 1.  
  The pigment obtained after annealing contains about 53.2 percent of mica, about 42.2 percent of ZrO and about 4.6 percent of l e- 0 In place of the above ZrCl solution, various mixtures of TiCl and ZrCl e.g., in a ratio of l l or 3 1, can also be employed. Also in this way, pigments of high brilliance and covering power are obtained.  
 EXAMPLE 3 A titanium tetrachloride solution containing 150 g. of TiCl /liter and 50-100 g. of HCl/liter is added to 4 liters of fully deionized water until a pH of 2.2 is attained. Then, 200 g. of mica flakes is added as described in Example l, and the flakes are coated with titanium dioxide hydrate. Thereafter, the pH is brought to 8.0 by the addition of 20 percent aqueous NaOH.  
  Subsequently. a solution containing 43 g. of FeCl 4H O and 10 ml. of 37 percent hydrochloric acid in 300 ml. of water is added in metered amounts at a rate of 300 ml./hour. By the simultaneous addition of NaOH, the pH is kept constant at 8.0-8.5. The iron hydroxide is precipitated onto the coated flakes as a greenish-black deposit. The reaction mixture is then worked up analogously to Example 1 to produce a bright golden pigment.  
 EXAMPLE 4 The coating step and the working up operation are effected analogously to Example 3 except that in place of the FeCl solution, a solution is added containing 39 g. of Fe (ll) oxalate 21-1 in one liter of 20 percent hydrochloric acid.  
  A brilliant gold pigment is thus produced having a high covering power.  
 EXAMPLE 5 The coating and working up steps are conducted analogously to Example 1, except that in place of 200 g. of mica flakes of the dimensions set forth therein, 340 g. of mica flakes having a particle diameter of between 50 and 150 microns and a thickness of 0.2-5 microns (specific surface area about 2.0-2.5 m /g.) are employed. A brilliant gold pigment is thus produced havinga strong glitter effect. The annealed pigment contains 3.5 percent of Fe O EXAMPLE 6 The coating and working up operations are conducted analogous to Example 1, but in place of 200 g. of mica flakes of the dimensions set forth therein, 130 g. of mica flakes having a particle diameter of between 5 and microns and a thickness of 0.1 0.5 micron (specific surface area about 5.5-6.0 m /g.) are used for coating. A brilliant gold pigment is obtained having a velvet-like luster. The annealed pigment contains 6.0 percent of Fe O Thepreceding examples can be repeated with similar success by substituting the generically or specifically described reactants and/or operating conditions of this invention for those used in the preceding examples.  
  From the foregoing description, one skilled in the art can easily ascertain the essential characteristics of this invention, and without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, can make variouschanges and modifications of the invention to adapt it to various usages and conditions.  
 What is claimed is:  
  l. A process for the production of golden nacreous pigments by coating mica flakes with a layer of Fe O containing TiO ZrO or mixtures thereof, which comprises the steps of precipitating iron hydroxide solution onto mica flakes coated with TiO ZrO or a mixture thereof, by adding an aqueous Fe (II) salt solution to a suspension of the mica flakes at a constant temperature and a constant pH above 5 and a rate of addition not exceeding the rate at which the salt isconverted to hydroxide and adsorbed on the mica flakes, and thereafter oxidizing the deposited iron hydroxide to Fe O 2. A process according to claim 1, wherein the Fe (II) salt is iron (ll) sulfate.  
  3. A process according to claim I, wherein the precipitation is conducted at a pH of from 7.5 to 9.  
  4. A process according to claim 3, wherein the precipitation is conducted at a pH of from 8.0 to 8.5.  
  5. A process according to claim 1, wherein the oxidation is effected with air.  
 6. A process according to claim 5, wherein the oxidathickness of about 0.1-5 microns and which are uniformly coated with a layer of about -300 mg. of Ti- O /m of mica surface.  
  10. A process according to claim 1, wherein an amount of iron hydroxide is precipitated corresponding to up to 20 percent by weight calculated on the final pigment, of Fe o 11. A process according to claim l0,wherein an amount of iron hydroxide corresponding to about 0.5-l0 percent by weight of Fe O calculated on the final pigment, is deposited on the coated mica flakes.  
 12. A golden nacreous pigment of improved brilliance and covering power, consisting essentially of translucent mica flakes coated with a pigment layer of.  
 TiO ZrO or mixtures thereof, having a substantially uniform layer of Fe O of about l-10 nm thickness on 1 the surface of the pigment layer and produced according to the process of claim 1.  
 13. A pigment according to claim 12 wherein the A mica flakes have a diameter of about 5-250 microns and a thickness of about 0.1-5 microns and which are uniformly coated with a layer of about 100-300 mg. of TiO /m of mica surface, and a uniform coating of 0.5-10% by weight of Fe O