Patent ID: 8044002

Claim:
A process to prepare a solid zirconium cross-linking agent suitable for use as a cross-linking agent comprising: (a) contacting a zirconium complex with an alkanolamine in an alcohol solvent, wherein the zirconium complex is a tetraalkyl zirconate, wherein the alkanolamine is selected from the group consisting of triethanolamine, tri-n-propanolamine, tri-isopropanolamine, and diisopropanolamine, and wherein the mole ratio of alkanolamine to zirconium is 1:1; (b) adding water to the product of step (a) in an amount of 0.5 moles of water per mole of zirconium; (c) maintaining the product of step (b) for a sufficient period of time for the product to reach equilibrium; and (d) removing the solvent from the product of step (c) to form a solid zirconium cross-linking agent.