Patent ID: 8822569

Claim:
A composite particle comprising: a) a pigment particle; b) a first plurality of polymer particles; and c) a second plurality of coupling agents, such that each one of the second plurality of coupling agents is covalently bonded to the pigment particle and to a corresponding one of the first plurality of polymer particles; wherein the coupling agent has a first functional group that reacts with the pigment particle to form a first covalent bond with the pigment particle, and a second functional group that reacts with a complementary functional group of the polymer particle to form a second covalent bond; and wherein: the first functional group of the coupling agent is selected from alkoxysilane, acyloxysilane, and silanols; the second functional group of the coupling agent is selected from isocyanate, isothiocyanate, aldehyde, acetoacetoxy, epoxide, thiorane, aziridine, carbodiimide, haloalkyl, halomethylphenyl, thiol, and carboxylic acid; and the complementary functional group of the polymer particles is selected from acetoacetoxy, 1,3-dicarbonyl, aldehyde, acid, amine, epoxide, isocyanate, alcohol, carbodiimide, aziridine, haloalkyl, and halophenyl.