A DUST-CONTROL AGENT

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a dust-control agent easily applicable to any kinds of dusty powder and a method for dust-control treatment of a dusty powder. The dust-control agent of the present invention comprises a mixture of fibrillatable polytetrafluoroethylene and a material in a state of solid grain or powder selected out of a pair of two kinds of materials which interact each other to make an exothermic reaction. The method for dust-control treatment of a dusty powder of the present invention comprises blending the dusty powder, fibrillatable polytetrafluoroethylene and a pair of two kinds of materials which interact each other to make an exothermic reaction, and giving the blended materials a compression-shear at an elevated temperature caused by the exothermic reaction between the pair of two kinds of materials to fibrillate the fibrillatable polytetrafluoroethylene and enclose the dusty powder. The dusty powder can be dust-controlled being enclosed with cobweb like ultra fine polytetrafluoroethylene fibrils without any external heat energy because the heat generated by an exothermic reaction between the pair of two kinds of materials which interact each other to make an exothermic reaction elevates the temperature to a degree to promote the fibrillation of polytetrafluoroethylene.

Description: The present invention relates to a dust-control agent for dusty powder. It has been known that a kind of polytetrafluoroethylene (referred as PTFE hereinafter) forms ultra fine cobweb-like fibrils under compression-shear at an appropriate temperature. In Japanese Patent Publication Tokko Sho 52-32877 (corresponding to U.S. Patent 3,838,064), it has been disclosed a method for dust-control treatment wherein an effective quantity of fibrillatable PTFE powder is added to dusty powder under compression-shear by agitation at a temperature of about 20 to 200°C. Fibrillation of PTFE is said to start at about 20°C. However, in practical industrial purposes, it is desirable to give compression-shear at a temperature above 50°C, preferably above 80°C. Accordingly, when the temperature of the dusty powder is low, it is required to heat it to a temperature above 80°C, requiring enough heat energy and a heating apparatus. In Japanese Patent Provisional Publication Tokkai Sho 60-191084, it has been proposed a manufacturing method of slaked lime fertilizer with anti-flux property whose particles are covered and coagulated with cobweb-like net wherein quick lime is added with fibrillatable PTFE powder dispersed in a certain quantity of water necessary to hydrate the quick lime and given a compression-shear by agitation at an elevated temperature caused by an exothermic hydration reaction of the quick lime and the water. Such method can be applied to a material such as quick lime which can make an exothermic reaction itself, but it cannot be applied to an optional dusty powder which cannot make an exothermic reaction itself in order to give necessary heat to elevate the temperature of it to a degree suitable to fibrillate PTFE. Chem. Abstracts, volume 104, Abstr. number 50 365j, 1986, describes a method for preparing leach-proof and dust-controlled slaked lime fertilizers, wherein lime or a mixture of lime and dolomite is mixed with an aqueous suspension of PTFE and the blended materials are given to compression shear, in which processing the exothermic heat of the hydration reaction of lime serves to fibrillate the PTFE. However, this method relates to the treatment of dusty powders, which are themselves susceptible to exothermic reactions, and there is no teaching that the method can be applied to the dust-control treatment of non-reactive powders nor in view of claimed new dust-control agent. It is an object of the present invention to provide a dust-control agent easily applicable to any kind of dusty powder. The present invention provides a dust-control agent comprising a mixture of fibrillatable PTFE and a material in a state of solid grain or powder selected out of a pair of two kinds of materials which interact each other to make an exothermic reaction. The dusty powder can be dust-controlled being enclosed with cobweb like ultra fine PTFE fibrils without any external heat energy because the heat generated by a reaction between the pair of two kinds of materials which interact each other to make an exothermic reaction elevates the temperature to a degree to promote the fibrillation of PTFE. Representative fibrillatable PTFE can be obtained by a method disclosed by Barry in US-A 2,559,752 wherein tetrafluoroethylene monomer is polymerized in an aqueous medium containing fluorocarbon surfactant. PTFE particle obtained by the above mentioned method is a colloidal particle having a particle size in a range of 0.05-0.5 micron and a surface area above 10 m²/g. It can be obtained in a form of an aqueous dispersion or in a form of powder coagulated from said aqueous dispersion and either of which can be used in the present invention. As the exothermic reaction between a pair of two kinds of materials, a hydration reaction and an oxidation reaction are representative reactions. When the exothermic reaction between a pair of two kinds of materials is hydration reaction, one side of the two kinds of materials is a material to be hydrated, for example, alkali earth metal oxide, alkali earth metal peroxide, calcium carbide, calcium phosphide, calcium aluminate, calcium silicate, gypsum or a mixture of these materials and another side of the two kinds of materials is water or an aqueous solution. It is the former materials that are used as a component of the dust-control agent of the present invention. They are used in a state of solid grain or powder due to the convenience of mixing and dispersing and advancement of reactivity. When hydrated, they generate a heat of reaction necessary to elevate the temperature of materials containing them to a level required to fibrillate PTFE easily. Furthermore, they are preferable because they promote the fibrillation of PTFE due to their expansion of volume and reduction to powder in the course of hydration. The choice of above said materials depends on their compatibility with the dusty powder to be dust-controlled, availability and economical viewpoint. Among them, alkali-earth metal oxide such as MgO, CaO, SrO, BaO, or a combination of these materials, for example, calcined dolomite (CaO+MgO) may be preferably used. When the exothermic reaction between a pair of two kinds of materials is oxidation reaction, one side of the two kinds of materials is a material to be oxidized, for example, metallic powder such as Fe, Al, Mg, Cu or a mixture of these powder and another side of the two kinds of materials is an oxidizer such as oxygen, peroxide, perchlorate or a mixture of these materials. When both of them are in a state of solid grain or powder, either of which may be used as a component of the dust-control agent of the present invention. When a dusty powder is treated with fibrillated PTFE, proper quantity of PTFE to be used for dust-control might be affected by the particle size, specific gravity, moisture contents etc. of the dusty powder. Generally speaking, the quantity of PTFE corresponding to 0.005 to 1 weight percent of the quantity of dusty powder is preferable. Accordingly, the concentration of PTFE in the dust-control agent of the present invention must be higher than 0.005 to 1 weight percent. From another point of view, the quantity of a material in a state of solid grain or powder selected out of a pair of two kinds of materials which interact each other to make an exothermic reaction is requested to be enough to raise the temperature of a mixture of the dust-control agent and dusty powder to 50-300°C, preferably 80-200°C. Accordingly, the proper blending ratio of PTFE to the said material in a state of solid grain or powder can be decided by calculation. It would be between 0.01 and 10 weight percent, although it might be affected by the calorific value per unit weight of those materials. Assuming a case wherein a hydration reaction of the dust-control agent is utilized to elevate the temperature for dust-control treatment of 100 mesh pass dusty powder such as ferrite, dust collected during steel production process, asphaltite, special type cement for soil conditioning, calcium silicate type fertilizer, calcium carbonate type fertilizer, an example of a dust-control agent using quick lime (CaO) as a material in a state of solid grain or powder selected out of a pair of two kinds of materials which interact each other to make an exothermic reaction is explained hereunder. In order to elevate the temperature of the total mass of the quick lime and a dusty powder to be dust-controlled from ordinary temperature to above 80°C, it is required that the ratio of the quantity of the quick lime to the total quantity of the quick lime and the dusty powder is 20-30 weight percent. When the ratio of the quantity of PTFE to the total quantity of the quick lime and the dusty powder is chosen to be in a range of 0.05-0.1 weight percent, the concentration of PTFE in the mixture of PTFE and the quick lime should be 0.17-0.5 weight percent. It is preferable that the material in a state of solid grain or powder selected out of a pair of two kinds of materials which interact each other to make an exothermic reaction has been pulverized so as to pass through 5mm sieve, preferably to pass through 2mm sieve, to attain an uniform distribution of PTFE in the material. As mentioned above, either of marketed fibrillatable PTFE in a form of dry powder with average particle size of about 500 micron or fibrillatable PTFE in a form of an aqueous dispersion may be used for the present invention, but the aqueous dispersion type is more preferable from the viewpoint of dispersibility. When an aqueous dispersion type fibrillatable PTFE and the material to be hydrated are blended, the latter is partially hydrated to hydroxide by water contained in the aqueous dispersion and a part of PTFE is fibrillated by the hydration heat, which means that there is another advantage that the dust-control agent itself will be dust-controlled. At the dust-control treatment of dusty powder using the dust-control agent of the present invention, the dust-control agent is blended with the dusty powder under compression-shear. In this stage, PTFE was not enough fibrillated due to lower temperature. Then another kind of material belonging to the pair of two kinds of materials which interact each other to make an exothermic reaction and has not been used for the dust-control agent, water in the case wherein the exothermic reaction is hydration for example, is added to the mixture of the dusty powder and the dust-control agent under agitation and an exothermic reaction of the dust-control agent starts and elevates the temperature of the mixture of the dusty powder and the dust-control agent. In this stage, PTFE in the dust-control agent fibrillates and encloses the dusty powder with ultra fine cobweb-like fibrils. Thus the dusty powder is dust-controlled. When the reaction between the two kinds of materials which interact each other to make an exothermic reaction is hydration and the dusty powder is dry, it is necessary to supply water externally to hydrate the material in the dust-control agent at the time of dust-control treatment of the dusty powder. On the contrary, if the possible dusty powder contains water in it such as the case of filter cake or dehydrated sludge, it is not necessary to supply external water, because water contained in the filter cake or sludge is absorbed into the material to be hydrated to form hydroxide. In such a case, not only the dust-control treatment of sludge but also its drying proceeds effectively. The composition of the dust-control agent of the present invention may be either a mixture of PTFE powder and a material in a state of solid grain or powder selected out of a pair of two kinds of materials which interact each other to make an exothermic reaction only or a kind of master-blend containing a part of the dusty powder to be dust-controlled together with PTFE powder and a material in a state of solid grain or powder selected out of a pair of two kinds of materials which interact each other to make an exothermic reaction. The present invention is explained in detail with examples hereunder, but not limited to them. Example 1 [Preparation of a dust-control agent] 1kg of quick lime pulverized by a hammer crusher to a particle size of 2mm sieve pass was taken in 2 liters mortar mixer and 140g of 3 weight percent aqueous dispersion of fibrillatable PTFE (ten times diluted aqueous dispersion of trade name Teflon K20-J: corresponding to 0.42 weight percent of PTFE per the quick lime) were added gradually under agitation of 140rpm for one minute. While agitating, a part of the quick lime was converted to slaked lime due to a reaction with water in the aqueous dispersion of PTFE, accompanying some heat generation and the quick lime powder became dust free itself. Thus obtained composition became a dust-control agent. [Dust-control test] To 1kg of dusty pulverized dolomite lime (particle size: 0.6mm sieve pass, 0.15mm sieve 90 percent pass) under atmospheric temperature, 0.20kg of above mentioned dust-control agent was blended by a homomixer for one minute. In this stage, PTFE was not enough fibrillated due to lower temperature and the pulverized dolomite lime had never been dust-controlled. To 1.20Kg of said mixture, 60g of clean water were added under agitation and hydration of the dust-control agent started accompanying the generation of heat. To complete the hydration of quick lime, agitator was stopped for two minutes and the temperature of the mixture was elevated up to 85°C. Then the mixture was agitated again for 10 seconds and obtained 1.20Kg of powder containing dust-controlled pulverized dolomite lime as a main ingredient. It can be used mainly for soil conditioner, fertilizer or neutralizer etc. Example 2 [Preparation of a dust-control agent] Using 1kg of light burnt dolomite (main ingredients: CaO 63%, MgO 33%) pulverized by a hammer crusher to a particle size of 2mm sieve pass was used in place of the quick lime in Example 1, a dust-control agent was prepared by the same procedure as that of Example 1. [Dust-control test] To 1kg of sludge at lime stone washing (filter cake; particle size: 1.00mm sieve oversize 0.02%, 0.3mm sieve oversize; 0.3%, 0.15mm sieve oversize 5.5%), 0.3kg of above mentioned light burnt dolomite type dust-control agent was blended by homomixer as used in Example 1 for one minute. After the temperature of the mixture was elevated to 95°C on standing, it was agitated again for 30 seconds and fine powder of dehydrated and dust-controlled sludge was obtained. Its moisture content was only 0.1%. It means that drying and dust-control treatment of the sludge were done effectively at the same time. Example 3 [Preparation of a dust-control agent] To 20g of iron powder of 100 mesh sieve pass in a glass bottle filled in nitrogen atmosphere, 2g of PTFE powder (trade name: Teflon K10-J) were added and sealed. The glass bottle was placed on a revolving roll to blend the contents of the bottle homogeneously and a dust-control agent was prepared. [Dust-control test] Total quantity of the above mentioned dust-control agent, 50g of dusty powder of ferric oxide (Toda color 140ED), and 20g of activated carbon impregnated with 10% of aqueous sulfuric acid solution were put in 3 liters autoclave and blended lightly. After the temperature was elevated to 50°C on standing for 30 minutes, 450g of ferric oxide was added further. After close down of the lid of the autoclave, oxygen was supplied from a oxygen bomb to maintain the pressure to 2kg/cm²G. The autoclave was set on a vibrator and the contents of the autoclave was stirred for 30 minutes, then left to cool. Maximum temperature attained during this procedure was about 100°C. Dust-control effect of the ferric oxide taken out of the autoclave was improved. Example 4 To 0.8kg of pulverized blast furnace slag (100 mesh sieve pass), 0.2kg of pulverized quick lime (2mm sieve pass) was added and 1kg of a mixture of them was obtained. It was put into 2 liters mortar mixer, to which 2g of PTFE aqueous dispersion containing 30% of resin (corresponding to 0.06 weight percent of PTFE per said mixture) diluted in 80ml of clean water were added gradually and agitated. 2 minutes after the completion of hydration reaction of quick lime, the temperature reached to 90°C. Then, it was agitated for 10 seconds and 1.06Kg of dust-controlled powder treated with PTFE fibrils were obtained. Its main applications are soil conditioner, fertilizer etc. Example 5 To 1kg of pulverized dolomite lime (particle size: 0.6mm sieve pass, 0.15mm sieve 90 percent pass) the same as used in Example 1, 175g of quick lime pulverized by a hammer crusher to a particle size of 2mm sieve pass were blended, then 60g of 3 weight percent aqueous dispersion of fibrillatable PTFE (ten times diluted aqueous dispersion of trade name Teflon K20-J) and 60g of water were added under agitation to make an exothermic reaction. After leaving it about 30 seconds, hydration of the quick lime started with heat generation. To complete the hydration of the quick lime, agitation was stopped for two minutes and the temperature of the mixture was elevated to 85°C. Then it was agitated again for 10 seconds and 1.20Kg of powder containing dust-controlled pulverized dolomite lime as a main ingredient was obtained.

Claims: A dust-control agent comprising a mixture of fibrillatable polytetrafluoroethylene and a material in a state of solid grain or powder selected out of a pair of two kinds of materials which interact each other to make an exothermic reaction. A dust-control agent according to claim 1 wherein the ratio of fibrillatable polytetrafluoroethylene to the material in a state of solid grain or powder selected out of a pair of two kinds of materials which interact each other to make an exothermic reaction is 0.01 to 10 weight percent. A dust-control agent according to claim 1 wherein the exothermic reaction is a hydration reaction and the material in a state of solid grain or powder selected out of a pair of two kinds of materials which interact each other to make the exothermic reaction is a material which can be hydrated. A dust-control agent according to claim 3 wherein the material which can be hydrated is alkali earth metal oxide, alkali earth metal peroxide, calcium carbide, calcium phosphide, calcium aluminate, calcium silicate, gypsum or a mixture of these materials. A dust-control agent according to claim 4 wherein the alkali earth metal oxide is MgO, CaO, SrO, BaO or a mixture of these materials. A dust-control agent according to claim 1 wherein the exothermic reaction is an oxidation reaction and the material in a state of solid grain or powder selected out of a pair of two kinds of materials which interact each other to make the exothermic reaction is a material which can be oxidized. A dust-control agent according to claim 6 wherein the material which can be oxidized is metallic powder of Fe, Al, Mg, Cu or a mixture of these materials.

Inventors: ISHIKAWA, KATUAKI, MIYAJI, HIROSHI, OGURA, MASATSUNE, SHIMODA, TETSUYA, URANO, TERUO
Applicants: DU PONT-MITSUI FLUOROCHEMICALS CO., LTD, MURAKASHI LIME INDUSTRY CO., LTD, NIPPON HODO CO., LTD
Application year: 1988
Main classification: B01J2
IPC codes: B01J2, C09K3