Patent ID: 7087529
Filing Date: 2006-08-08
Classification: C09G,C09K,H01L

Abstract:
1. A method of planarizing or polishing a surface comprising contacting a surface with a composition comprising (a) a liquid carrier, and (b) solids comprising about 10 to 100 wt. % of ion-exchanged smectite clay abrasive particles, based on the total weight of solids in the composition, wherein about 90% or more of the abrasive particles (by number) have a particle size in the range of about 0.02 μm to 20 μm, wherein said ion-exchanged smectite clay abrasive particles are prepared by forming a mixture of the smectite clay in water, said smectite clay including exchangeable sodium interlayer cations, adding a water-soluble salt to said water, said water-soluble salt capable of solubilizing to provide exchange cations in said water, said exchange cations selected from the group consisting of ammonium cations, any alkali metal cations and alkaline earth metal cations except for lithium or sodium; ion-exchanging said exchange cations for exchangeable cations in the smectite clay to form an ion-exchanged smectite clay; separating a majority of the sodium-containing water from the ion-exchanged clay.