CPC C08L 83/04 (2013.01) [C08J 3/12 (2013.01); C08J 3/20 (2013.01); C09D 183/04 (2013.01); C08J 2323/12 (2013.01); C08J 2483/04 (2013.01)] | 10 Claims |
1. A method comprising:
providing a mixture comprising a thermoplastic polymer, a carrier fluid that is immiscible with the thermoplastic polymer, a pigment, and an emulsion stabilizer;
wherein the emulsion stabilizer comprises nanoparticles selected from the group consisting of oxide nanoparticles, polymer nanoparticles, and any combination thereof;
applying shear to the mixture at a temperature greater than a melting point or softening temperature of the thermoplastic polymer and at a shear rate sufficiently high to disperse the thermoplastic polymer in the carrier fluid as droplets;
cooling the mixture to below the melting point or softening temperature of the thermoplastic polymer to form pigmented polymer particles comprising the thermoplastic polymer, the pigment, and the nanoparticles, wherein the nanoparticles are coated upon an outer surface of the pigmented polymer particles, and wherein at least some of the pigmented polymer particles have a morphology according to (a), (b), (c), or any combination thereof:
(a) the pigment being coated by the thermoplastic polymer to define a coated pigment, and the coated pigment being adhered to the outer surface,
(b) the pigment being embedded in the outer surface, and
(c) the pigment being encapsulated by the thermoplastic polymer below the outer surface; and
separating the pigmented polymer particles from the carrier fluid;
wherein the pigmented polymer particles have a D10 of about 0.1 μm to about 125 μm, a D50 of about 0.5 μm to about 200 μm, and a D90 of about 3 μm to about 300 μm, wherein D10<D50<D90.
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