Cabot Corporation

Joanne Paul

Douglas M Smith

Kenneth C Koehlert

Vinayan C Menon

The present invention provides a method of preparing lipophilic silica in an aqueous medium in the absence of added acids, bases, or organic solvents. In particular, the present inventive method of preparing lipophilic silica comprises (a) providing a mixture consisting essentially of (i) at least one organically modified silica precursor which is a trifunctional silane, (ii) water, and (iii) at least one tetrafunctional silane, (b) allowing the organically modified silica to form in the mixture, and (c) removing the organically modified silica from the mixture.

Method of preparing organically modified silica

A method of preparing treated silica is described. The method comprises mixing a hydrolyzable silica precursor such as methyltrichlorosilane with water, an acid (e.g., hydrochloric acid) and a hydrophobing agent capable of rendering polar silanol groups hydrophobic, such as trimethylchlorosilane. The treated silica is then recovered from the mixture. The inventive method provides a number of mechanisms for controlling the physical properties (e.g., particle size, surface area, etc.) of the treated silica. For example, the rate of hydrolysis of the silica precursor, which impacts these physical properties, can be regulated by the nature and concentration of the acid used in the reaction.

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Rio Rancho, NM, United States of America

Joanne Paul