American Lecithin Company

Amico, Inc.

Joseph Eichberg

Max Kronstein

Kevin S MacDonald

The present invention comprises a process for improving the corrosion inhibiting properties of lecithin by heating a lecithin oil composition for a period of time sufficient to produce darkening of the lecithin. An optional step further improves the corrosion inhibiting properties of the composition by combining zinc oxide with the lecithin oil prior to heating.

Lecithin corrosion inhibitor

A process which includes subjecting a composition of (a) solid or fluid, oil-carrying or oil-free lecithin materials and (b) metal oxides to mechanical treatment or mechanical impact, without the requirement of heat application to such composition. The reaction products of component (a) and component (b) have unique properties.

Production of paint containing lecithin-treated metal oxide

A process of chemically modifying metal oxides, that is oxides of metals such as iron, lead, molybdenum, titanium, zinc and other metals, by treating them under heating at a temperature between 100.degree. and 160.degree. C. for a time period between 10 minutes and one hour or more with a lecithin material, in fluid form (including molten form). The lecithin material is a vegetable lecithin, an animal lecithin or the acetone-soluble fraction of either type of lecithin. Such metal oxide groupings enter the lecithin-fluid fraction. Whereafter a modified metal oxide, partially in a suspended form, is developed partially dissolved in the fluid lecithin (where such product can be utilized as a modified form of the fluid lecithin fraction). Such solid modified metal oxide thereafter can be sedimented from the modified oily fraction. Such modified metal oxides, instead of their initial form, can be used in such form. Or, the modified metal oxides can be placed into a water dispersion, whereafter the dissolved matter can in solution further interreact with reactive components dissolved in the same water, or can interreact with an additional reactive organic component (such as an unsaturated polymeric matter, in particular a latex), whereby such metal oxide matter with the lecithin-groupings enters into the water dispersion. The lecithin modified metal oxides can be used as paint pigments which are readily redispersible within the paint after storage (with or without addition of additional lecithin matter).

Chemical modification of metal oxides and lecithin materials

Coating compositions, such as, paints with mixed pigmentation containing pigment with widely different specific gravities, have the tendency to show in the pigment sedimentation a separation of the pigment components. Such separated components do not redisperse readily with the coating composition vehicle, upon shaking or mixing, to fully restore the initial color shades. The three factors of flotation, flocculation, and sedimentation cause the separation of the coating composition components. Plant phosphatides, which are referred to as lecithins, (and modified plant phosphatides) can be used as the only additive resulting in a joint sedimentation of the entire pigment mixture without separation of the pigment components from each other. As a result, on shaking or mixing, the entire pigmentation reenters the coating composition jointly, and the initial color shade of the coating composition is restored. The lecithin or modified lecithin is used in an amount between 4 to 10 percent based on the amount of pigment. Advantageously, the lecithin material is directly applied to the pigment surfaces. In such an embodiment, as little as 0.5 percent of lecithin can be used.

Direct surface modification of pigments by plant phosphatides for their

Coating compositions, such as, paints with mixed pigmentation containing pigment with widely different specific gravities, have the tendency to show in the pigment sedimentation a separation of the pigment components. Such separated components do not redisperse readily with the coating composition vehicle, upon shaking or mixing, to fully restore the initial color shades. The three factors of flotation, flocculation, and sedimentation cause the separation of the coating composition components. Plant phosphatides, which are referred to as lecithins, (and modified plant phosphatides) can be used as the only additive resulting in a joint sedimentation of the entire pigment mixture without separation of the pigment components from each other. As a result, on shaking or mixing, the entire pigmentation reenters the coating composition jointly, and the initial color shade of the coating composition is restored. The lecithin or modified lecithin is used in an amount between 3.2 to 8 percent based on the amount of pigment.

Growing community of inventors

Atlanta, GA, United States of America

Joseph Eichberg