Chemical modification of metal oxides and lecithin materials

Abstract

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).