Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

James L Gibb

James A Laird

William C Whitcomb

George W Lee

Leslie G Berntson

Process for making particulate ceramics having an alumina rich region near their surface, comprising the following steps:

Particulate ceramic useful as a proppant

Ceramic particulates useful as a proppant in hydraulic fracturing and in gravel packing operations is provided which comprises a ceramic (sometimes vitreous) core surrounded by an epoxy resin coating. Novolac epoxy resin compounds without any substantial acid soluble filler are used to coat ceramic particulates similar to those discloses in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,680,230 and 4,632,876. The result is a product which combines the excellent solvent resistance of the ceramics with the acid resistance of the resin. The resin coating gives the added benefits of lower specific gravity and improved crush resistance.

Novolac coated ceramic particulate

Ceramic particulate useful as a proppant in hydraulic fracturing and in gravel packing operations is provided which comprises a ceramic (sometimes vitreous) core surrounded by an epoxy resin coating. Novolac epoxy resin compounds without any substantial acid soluble filler are used to coat ceramic particulates similar to those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,680,230 and 4,632,876. The result is a product which combines the excellent solvent resistance of the ceramics with the acid resistance of the resin. The resin coating gives the added benefits of lower specific gravity and improved crush resistance.

Epoxy novolac coated ceramic particulate

A two-phase ceramic particulate useful as a proppant in hydraulic fracturing operations is provided which comprises a vitreous matrix phase containing a crystalline alumina phase. The new ceramic particles are characterized by:

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Woodbury, MN, United States of America

James L Gibb