Patent ID: 7049347

Claim:
A method for making amorphous spherical particles of zirconium titanate having tailored intraparticle nanostructures comprising the steps of: a) preparing an aqueous solution of a zirconium salt; b) preparing an aqueous solution of a titanium salt; c) mixing said solution of zirconium salt with said solution of titanium salt into a mixed salt solution wherein said mixed salt solution has about equal moles of zirconium and titanium and wherein said mixed salt solution has a total salt concentration in the range from 0.01 M to about 0.5 M; d) adding a stearic dispersant and an organic solvent to said mixed salt solution, subjecting said zirconium salt and said titanium salt in said mixed salt solution to a coprecipitation reaction to form a liquid solution containing amorphous spherical particles of zirconium titanate having tailored intraparticle nanostructures wherein the volume ratio of said organic solvent to aqueous part is in the range from 1 to 5.