Process for making tiles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017029334-A1
Application number	US-201515302546-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 2, 2015
Priority date	Apr 7, 2014
Publication date	Feb 2, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a process for making ceramic tiles characterized by the addition to the ceramic raw materials of an aqueous slurry comprising a swellable clay of the smectite family, a binder and a water-soluble salt of a monovalent cation.

First claim

1 - 8 . (canceled)

9 . A process for making ceramic tiles comprising:
mixing ceramic raw materials; wet grinding the ceramic raw materials to produce a slip; and spray drying the thus obtained slip,
wherein from about 0.2 to about 3% by weight of an aqueous slurry comprising:
a) from about 5 to about 30% by weight of a swelling clay of the smectite family;
b) from about 10 to about 30% by weight of a binder chosen among lignin sulfonates, naphthalene sulfonate-formaldehyde condensate salts, mono- and oligo-saccharides, water-soluble starches, water-soluble cellulose derivatives and mixture thereof; and
c) from about 0.1 to about 10% by weight of a water-soluble salt of a monovalent cation, is introduced prior to the spray drying of the slip.

10 . The process of claim 9 wherein the aqueous slurry is introduced into the raw materials prior to or during the mixing of the ceramic raw materials.

11 . The process of claim 9 wherein the aqueous slurry is introduced into the slip prior to the spray drying of the slip.

12 . The process of claim 9 wherein from about 0.4 to about 2% by weight of the aqueous slurry is introduced.

13 . The process of claim 10 wherein from about 0.4 to about 2% by weight of the aqueous slurry is introduced.

14 . The process of claim 11 wherein from about 0.4 to about 2% by weight of the aqueous slurry is introduced.

15 . An aqueous slurry comprising:
from about 5 to about 30% by weight of a swelling clay of the smectite family; from about 10 to about 30% by weight of a binder chosen from the group consisting of lignin sulfonates, naphthalene sulfonate-formaldehyde condensate salts, mono- and oligo-saccharides, water-soluble cellulose derivatives and mixture thereof; and from about 0.1 to about 10% by weight of a water-soluble salt of a monovalent cation.

16 . The aqueous slurry of claim 15 , comprising:
from about 10 to about 20% by weight of the swelling clay of the smectite family; from about 15 to about 25% by weight of the binder; and from about 0.5 to about 5% by weight of the salt of a monovalent cation.

17 . The aqueous slurry of claim 15 , wherein the aqueous slurry further comprises from about 0.5 to about 5% by weight of a dispersant selected from the group consisting of (meth)acrylic acid polymer, phosphates and polyphosphates, sodium metasilicate, sodium di-silicate, liquid sodium silicate, and mixtures thereof.

18 . The aqueous slurry of claim 16 , wherein the aqueous slurry further comprises from about 0.5 to about 5% by weight of a dispersant selected from the group consisting of (meth)acrylic acid polymer, phosphates and polyphosphates, sodium metasilicate, sodium di-silicate, liquid sodium silicate, and mixtures thereof.

19 . The aqueous slurry of claim 15 , wherein the dispersant is a (meth)acrylic acid polymer with a weight average molecular weight below about 20,000 Da.

20 . The aqueous slurry of claim 16 , wherein the dispersant is a (meth)acrylic acid polymer with a weight average molecular weight below about 20,000 Da.

21 . The aqueous slurry of claim 15 , wherein the salt of a monovalent cation is selected from the group consisting of chloride, bromide or phosphate of ammonium or alkali metal salts, and mixtures thereof.

22 . The aqueous slurry of claim 16 , wherein the salt of a monovalent cation is selected from the group consisting of chloride, bromide or phosphate of ammonium or alkali metal salts, and mixtures thereof.

23 . The aqueous slurry of claim 15 wherein the swelling clay of the smectite family is a bentonite.

24 . The aqueous slurry of claim 16 wherein the swelling clay of the smectite family is a bentonite.

25 . The aqueous slurry of claim 17 wherein the swelling clay of the smectite family is a bentonite.

26 . The aqueous slurry of claim 18 wherein the swelling clay of the smectite family is a bentonite.

27 . The aqueous slurry of claim 19 wherein the swelling clay of the smectite family is a bentonite.

28 . The aqueous slurry of claim 20 wherein the swelling clay of the smectite family is a bentonite.

Assignees

• Lamberti Spa

Inventors

• Crespi Stefano
• Ricco' Davide
• Prampolini Paolo
• Floridi Giovanni
• Li Bassi Giuseppe

Classifications

• C04B2235/444

  Halide containing anions, e.g. bromide, iodate, chlorite · CPC title

• B01J2/06

  in a liquid medium · CPC title

• C04B33/1315 Primary

  Non-ceramic binders · CPC title

• C04B2235/349

  Clays, e.g. bentonites, smectites such as montmorillonite, vermiculites or kaolines, e.g. illite, talc or sepiolite · CPC title

• B28B3/00

  Producing shaped articles from the material by using presses (shaping on moving conveyors B28B5/00); Presses specially adapted therefor (presses in general B30B) · CPC title