Composition for treating an inorganic slurry

Abstract

A composition for treating an inorganic slurry, the composition comprising: (a) a tetrakis (hydroxyorgano) phosphonium salt; and (b) a dispersant selected from the group consisting of (i) a phosphonated compound containing at least one tertiary nitrogen atom, (ii) a phosphonated oligomer of an unsaturated acid, (iii) a homopolymer of an unsaturated acid, and (iv) a polyphosphate.

1 . A composition for treating an inorganic slurry, the composition comprising:
 (a) a tetrakis (hydroxyorgano) phosphonium salt; and   (b) a dispersant selected from the group consisting of
 (i) a phosphonated compound containing at least one tertiary nitrogen atom, 
 (ii) a phosphonated oligomer of an unsaturated acid, 
 (iii) a homopolymer of an unsaturated acid, and 
 (iv) a polyphosphate. 
   
     
     
         2 . The composition according to  claim 1 , in which the tetrakis (hydroxyorgano) phosphonium salt is tetrakis (hydroxymethyl) phosphonium sulphate. 
     
     
         3 . The composition according to  claim 1 , in which the tetrakis (hydroxyorgano) phosphonium salt is selected from the group consisting of tetrakis (hydroxymethyl) phosphonium chloride, tetrakis (hydroxymethyl) phosphonium phosphate, tetrakis (hydroxymethyl) phosphonium nitrate and tetrakis (hydroxymethyl) phosphonium oxalate. 
     
     
         4 . The composition according to  claim 1 , in which the dispersant is (b(i)) and is a phosphonated compound containing one tertiary nitrogen atom. 
     
     
         5 . The composition according to  claim 4 , in which the dispersant is (b(i)) and is a sodium salt of nitrilo-tris (methylene phosphonate). 
     
     
         6 . The composition according to  claim 5 , in which the sodium salt is a tetra-sodium salt. 
     
     
         7 . The composition according to  claim 1 , in which the dispersant is (b(ii)) and is a phosphonated oligomer of maleic acid. 
     
     
         8 . The composition according to  claim 7 , in which the oligomer has the formula H(CH 2 OM.CH 2 OM) n PO 3 M 2 , wherein M is a cationic species such that the oligomer is soluble in water and n is a number greater than 1. 
     
     
         9 . The composition according to  claim 1 , in which the dispersant is (b(iii)) and is a homopolymer of acrylic acid. 
     
     
         10 . The composition according to  claim 7 , in which the homopolymer has a molecular weight of 2000 to 5000. 
     
     
         11 . The composition according to  claim 1 , in which the dispersant is (b(iv)) and is sodium tripolyphosphate. 
     
     
         12 . The composition according to  claim 1 , in which a ratio of the tetrakis (hydroxyorgano)phosphonium salt to the dispersant, as active ingredients, in the composition is about 2:1. 
     
     
         13 . A composition for treating an inorganic slurry, the composition comprising:
 (a) a tetrakis (hydroxyorgano) phosphonium salt selected from the group consisting of tetrakis (hydroxymethyl) phosphonium sulphate, tetrakis (hydroxymethyl) phosphonium chloride, tetrakis (hydroxymethyl) phosphonium phosphate, tetrakis (hydroxymethyl) phosphonium nitrate and tetrakis (hydroxymethyl) phosphonium oxalate; and   (b) a dispersant which is the tetra sodium salt of nitrilo-tris (methylene phosphonate).   
     
     
         14 . The composition according to  claim 13 , in which the tetrakis (hydroxyorgano) phosphonium salt is tetrakis (hydroxymethyl) phosphonium sulphate. 
     
     
         15 . The composition according to  claim 13 , in which the tetrakis (hydroxyorgano) phosphonium salt is selected from the group consisting of tetrakis (hydroxymethyl) phosphonium chloride, tetrakis (hydroxymethyl) phosphonium phosphate, tetrakis (hydroxymethyl) phosphonium nitrate and tetrakis (hydroxymethyl) phosphonium oxalate. 
     
     
         16 . The composition according to  claim 13 , in which a ratio of the tetrakis (hydroxyorgano) phosphonium salt to the dispersant, as active ingredients, in the composition is about 2:1. 
     
     
         17 . A composition for treating an inorganic slurry, the composition comprising:
 (a) a tetrakis (hydroxyorgano) phosphonium salt selected from the group consisting of tetrakis (hydroxymethyl) phosphonium sulphate, tetrakis (hydroxymethyl) phosphonium chloride, tetrakis (hydroxymethyl) phosphonium phosphate, tetrakis (hydroxymethyl) phosphonium nitrate and tetrakis (hydroxymethyl) phosphonium oxalate; and   (b) a dispersant which is a homopolymer of acrylic acid, the homopolymer having a molecular weight in the range of 2,000 to 5,000.   
     
     
         18 . The composition according to  claim 17 , in which the tetrakis (hydroxyorgano) phosphonium salt is tetrakis (hydroxymethyl) phosphonium sulphate. 
     
     
         19 . The composition according to  claim 17 , in which the tetrakis (hydroxyorgano) phosphonium salt is selected from the group consisting of tetrakis (hydroxymethyl) phosphonium chloride, tetrakis (hydroxymethyl) phosphonium phosphate, tetrakis (hydroxymethyl) phosphonium nitrate and tetrakis (hydroxymethyl) phosphonium oxalate. 
     
     
         20 . The composition according to  claim 17 , in which a ratio of the tetrakis (hydroxyorgano) phosphonium salt to the dispersant, as active ingredients, in the composition is about 2:1.