Amcol International Corporation

Bala V Nathan

Jerald W Darlington, Jr

Zhen Wang

Vincent J Losacco

Michael Ray Velder

Bart Becherer

Peter W Carrico

A particulate non-clumping animal litter composition is disclosed. The composition comprises non-clumping absorbent particles bound to magnetically-attractable metal particles such that substantially all particles of the animal litter composition are attracted to a magnetic surface. The animal litter composition exhibits favorable properties such as absorbency, resiliency, homogeneity, and particle size. Methods of production for non-clumping animal litter compositions are also disclosed that employ sufficient shear to bind the non-clumping absorbent particulate material to the magnetically-attractable metal particles such that the animal litter compositions exhibit favorable properties. A method and apparatus for the collection of magnetically-attractable animal litter particles are also disclosed.

Magnetically-attractable non-clumping animal litter

A new and improved method of manufacturing an acrylic acid superabsorbent polymer, that is manufactured by any known technique, except that the acrylic acid monomer is polymerized to substantial completion before neutralization, and neutralization is accomplished by admixing a solid, e.g., powdered or granular, neutralizing agent into the acrylic acid polymer. Preferably, the neutralizing agent is a solid, non-hydroxide neutralizing agent, such as sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, ammonium carbonate or mixtures thereof. Cross-linking may be accomplished during polymerization, simultaneously with neutralization, or cross-linking may be carried out in a separate processing step subsequent to neutralization, or both.

Polyacrylate superabsorbent post-polymerization neutralized with solid,

Growing community of inventors

Wheaton, IL, United States of America

Bala V Nathan