Substantially Spherical magneto-plumbite ferrite particles and methods for producing and media employing the same

Abstract

Substantially spherical magneto-plumbite ferrite (barium or strontium ferrite) particles are formed from well-dispersed ultra-fine substantially spherical iron-based oxide and/or hydroxide particles as precursor particles. The precursor particles are mixed with a colloidal barium or strontium carbonate (BaCO 3 or SrCO 3 ), and with small amounts of a byproduct, such as sodium or potassium chloride (NaCl or KCl) or hydroxide (NaOH or KOH) or nitrate (NaNO 3 or KNO 3 ), functioning as a flux to lower the calcination temperature. The particles are filtered out of the mixture, dried, and calcined for a time sufficiently long and/or at a temperature sufficiently high to form magneto-plumbite ferrite from the precursor particles, and for a time sufficiently short and/or a temperature sufficiently low to maintain the general spherical shape of the precursor particles. The particles are used for forming a magnetic recording media by dispersing the particles in a magnetic paint and coating the paint onto a substrate, or by dispersing the particles in a self-supporting material.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A process for the preparation of a spherical magneto-plumbite ferrite powder having the formula AO.n(Fe 2-x M x O 3 ), wherein A is at least one of barium and strontium, n is the molar (Fe 2-x M x O 3 )/AO ratio in the range of about 5 to about 6, M is more than one substitution element selected from the group of Co, Zn, Ni, Al, Ti, Sn, Si, Nb, Ta, and mixtures thereof, and x is the content of substitution elements in the range of about 0 to about 3.5, the process comprising: 
 (a) mixing a dispersion of precursor substantially spherical particles, of one or more of iron-based oxide and iron hydroxide, with a first solution of one or more of barium and strontium, and with a second solution of one or more of Na 2 CO 3 , K 2 CO 3 , NaOH, and KOH;    (b) separating a solid phase from the dispersion;    (c) drying the separated solid phase; and    (d) calcining the dried separated solid phase at a temperature sufficiently low to produce magneto-plumbite particles from the precursor particles while preserving the substantially spherical shape of the precursor particles.    
     
     
         2 . The process recited in    claim 1    further comprising the steps of: 
 (e) wet-milling the calcined powder;  
 (f) drying the wet-milled powder; and  
 (g) comminuting the dried powder.  
 
     
     
         3 . The process recited in    claim 2    further comprising washing the calcined powder.  
     
     
         4 . The process recited in    claim 1    further comprising comminuting the dried separated solid phase before calcining.  
     
     
         5 . The process recited in    claim 1    wherein the step of calcining the comminuted powder comprises calcining the comminuted powder at a temperature not more than about 900° C.  
     
     
         6 . The process recited in    claim 5    wherein the step of calcining the comminuted powder comprises calcining the comminuted powder at a temperature sufficient to convert the precursor particles into magneto-plumbite ferrite while substantially maintaining the shape of the precursor particles.  
     
     
         7 . The process recited in    claim 6    wherein the step of calcining the comminuted powder comprises calcining the comminuted powder for a time in the range of about 0.5 to about 3 hours.  
     
     
         8 . The process recited in    claim 6    wherein the step of calcining the comminuted powder comprises calcining the comminuted powder at a temperature in the range of about 730 to about 870° C.  
     
     
         9 . The process recited in    claim 8    wherein the step of calcining the comminuted powder comprises calcining the comminuted powder for a time in the range of about 0.5 to about 2 hours.  
     
     
         10 . The process recited in    claim 1    wherein the precursor particles comprise one or more of magnetite, maghemite, hematite, spinel ferrite, and iron hydroxide.  
     
     
         11 . The process recited in    claim 1    wherein the precursor particles have a particle size in the range of about 0.05 to about 1.2 μm.  
     
     
         12 . The process recited in    claim 11    wherein the precursor particles have a particle size of less than about 0.2 μm.  
     
     
         13 . The process recited in    claim 1    wherein the solution of one or more of Ba and Sr is formed from one or more of barium chloride, barium nitrate, barium hydroxide, strontium chloride, strontium nitrate, and strontium hydroxide.  
     
     
         14 . The process recited in    claim 13    wherein a powder is mixed with a solute to form the solution of one or more of Ba and Sr, the powder consisting of particles of sub-micron size.  
     
     
         15 . The process recited in    claim 1    wherein the step of mixing comprises mixing in a bead mill for at least about 10 minutes.  
     
     
         16 . The process recited in    claim 1    wherein the substitution elements consist of a major substitution of Zn and Ti and a minor substitution of Co, Sn, and at least one of Nb and Ta.  
     
     
         17 . The process recited in    claim 1    wherein n is in the range of about 5.3 to about 5.8.  
     
     
         18 . The process recited in    claim 1    wherein, in the step of mixing, the amount of the one or more of Na 2 CO 3 , K 2 CO 3 , NaOH, and KOH in the second solution is such that the entire mixture of precursor particles and first and second solutions has a pH in the range of about 10 or greater.  
     
     
         19 . The process recited in    claim 18    wherein, in the step of mixing, the amount of the one or more of Na 2 CO 3 , K 2 CO 3 , NaOH, and KOH in the second solution is such the pH during mixing is in the range of about 11 or greater.  
     
     
         20 . The process recited in    claim 1    wherein, in the step of mixing, the molar (Na or K) 2 CO 3 /A ratio is more than 1, and the molar (NA or K)OH/A ratio is more than 2.  
     
     
         21 . A powder made by the process recited in    claim 1   .  
     
     
         22 . Magneto-plumbite ferrite particles with a size in the range of about 0.05 to about 1.2 μm and an aspect ratio of not greater than about 2:1.  
     
     
         23 . The particles as recited in    claim 22    having an aspect ratio of not greater than about 1.25:1.  
     
     
         24 . The particles as recited in    claim 22    having the formula  
       AO.n(Fe 2-x M x O 3 )  
       wherein A is at least one of barium and strontium, n is the molar (Fe 2-x M x O 3 )/AO ratio in the range of about 5 to about 6, M is more than one substitution element selected from the group of Co, Zn, Ni, Al, Ti, Sn, Si, Nb, and Ta, and x is the content of substitution elements in the range of 0 to about 3.5.  
     
     
         25 . The particles recited in    claim 22    having a coercivity in the range of about 1000-5500 Oe and a saturation magnetization of not less than about 35 emu/g.  
     
     
         26 . Powder consisting essentially of magneto-plumbite ferrite particles having a substantially spherical shape.  
     
     
         27 . The powder recited in    claim 26    having the formula  
       AO.n(Fe 2-x M x O 3 )  
       wherein A is at least one of barium and strontium, n is the molar (Fe 2-x M x O 3 )/AO ratio in the range of about 5 to about 6, M is more than one substitution element selected from the group of Co, Zn, Ni, Al, Ti, Sn, Si, Nb, and Ta, and x is the content of substitution elements in the range of 0 to about 3.5.  
     
     
         28 . The powder recited in    claim 26    having a coercivity in the range of about 1000-5500 Oe and a saturation magnetization of not less than about 35 emu/g.  
     
     
         29 . A substantially spherical-shaped particle of magneto-plumbite ferrite.  
     
     
         30 . The particle of    claim 29    having the formula  
       AO.n(Fe 2-x M x O 3 )  
       wherein A is at least one of barium and strontium, n is the molar (Fe 2-x M x O 3 )/AO ratio in the range of about 5 to about 6, M is more than one substitution element selected from the group of Co, Zn, Ni, Al, Ti, Sn, Si, Nb, and Ta, and x is the content of substitution elements in the range of 0 to about 3.5.  
     
     
         31 . A magnetic recording media comprising magneto-plumbite ferrite particles having a substantially spherical shape.  
     
     
         32 . The media recited in    claim 31    wherein the magneto-plumbite ferrite particles have the formula  
       AO.n(Fe 2-x M x O 3 )  
       wherein A is at least one of barium and strontium, n is the molar (Fe 2-x M x O 3 )/AO ratio in the range of about 5 to about 6, M is more than one substitution element selected from the group of Co, Zn, Ni, Al, Ti, Sn, Si, Nb, and Ta, and x is the content of substitution elements in the range of 0 to about 3.5.  
     
     
         33 . The recording media of    claim 31    further comprising a substrate, and a magnetic layer, the magnetic layer positioned on the substrate.  
     
     
         34 . The recording media of    claim 33    wherein the substrate is a card.  
     
     
         35 . The recording media of    claim 33    wherein the substrate is a tape.  
     
     
         36 . The recording media of    claim 33    wherein the substrate is a disk.  
     
     
         37 . The recording media of    claim 31    further comprising a self-supporting body in which the particles are dispersed.