Patent ID: 9663708
Date: 2017-05-30
CPC Classifications: C04B,C09K

Claim:
1. A proppant comprising a core and a shell on the core, wherein the proppant has a core strength to shell strength ratio of 0.8 to 1, wherein a plurality of micron particles are sintered together to form the core, the shell, or both the core and the shell, wherein the micron particles have a unimodal particle distribution, wherein total distribution of the micron particles has a width that is 5% or less than mean particle size of the micron particle, wherein the micron particles have a d 50 of 0.5 micron to 3.5 microns; wherein the proppant has a plurality of pores having a pore volume, wherein a majority of the pore volume results from interstitial gaps formed between the micron particles; wherein the proppant comprises: a glassy phase present in an amount of at least 10% by weight of the proppant; and ceramic whiskers having an average length from 1 micron to 3.5 microns, an average width from 0.1 to 0.3 and a whisker length distribution of about 8 or less.