Improved silica based matting agents are disclosed. The matting agents are useful in waterborne coatings composition to provide exceptional properties to a wood based substrate. Films resulting on the coated substrate unexpectedly provide improved chemical resistance, thermal stress resistance, weather resistance, and/or film clarity to the surface of a wood substrate. Methods of making and using the matting agents are also disclosed.

A silicon-carbon composite material includes a silicon-containing particle, a carbon covering layer enclosing the silicon-containing particle, and a conductive material included in at least one of the silicon-containing particle and the carbon covering layer. A ratio of an integral area of a characteristic peak of sp.sup.2 carbon in an X-ray photoelectron spectrum of the silicon-carbon composite material to a total integral area of characteristic peaks of C1s orbital in the X-ray photoelectron spectrum is in a range from 0.7 to 0.9.

The invention relates to a novel process for the preparation of a precipitated silica, in which: a silicate is reacted with an acidifying agent, so as to obtain a suspension of precipitated silica, said suspension of precipitated silica is filtered, so as to obtain a filtration cake, said filtration cake is subjected to a liquefaction operation comprising the addition of an aluminum compound, after the liquefaction operation, a drying stage is carried out,
characterized in that a mixture of polycarboxylic acids is added to the filtration cake, during or after the liquefaction operation. It also relates to novel precipitated silicas and to their uses.

Described herein is a method of using solid particles having a surface functionalized with a terminal cyclocarbonate group to neutralize an odor from ammonia and primary or secondary amines. Also described herein are perfuming compositions and perfuming consumer products that include malodor neutralizers.

A technique for bonding an organic group with the surface of fine particles such as nanoparticles through strong linkage is provided, whereas such fine particles are attracting attention as materials essential for development of high-tech products because of various unique excellent characteristics and functions thereof. Organically modified metal oxide fine particles can be obtained by adapting high-temperature, high-pressure water as a reaction field to bond an organic matter with the surface of metal oxide fine particles through strong linkage. The use of the same condition enables not only the formation of metal oxide fine particles but also the organic modification of the formed fine particles. The resulting organically modified metal oxide fine particles exhibit excellent properties, characteristics and functions.

A technique for bonding an organic group with the surface of fine particles such as nanoparticles through strong linkage is provided, whereas such fine particles are attracting attention as materials essential for development of high-tech products because of various unique excellent characteristics and functions thereof. Organically modified metal oxide fine particles can be obtained by adapting high-temperature, high-pressure water as a reaction field to bond an organic matter with the surface of metal oxide fine particles through strong linkage. The use of the same condition enables not only the formation of metal oxide fine particles but also the organic modification of the formed fine particles. The resulting organically modified metal oxide fine particles exhibit excellent properties, characteristics and functions.

A technique for bonding an organic group with the surface of fine particles such as nanoparticles through strong linkage is provided, whereas such fine particles are attracting attention as materials essential for development of high-tech products because of various unique excellent characteristics and functions thereof. Organically modified metal oxide fine particles can be obtained by adapting high-temperature, high-pressure water as a reaction field to bond an organic matter with the surface of metal oxide fine particles through strong linkage. The use of the same condition enables not only the formation of metal oxide fine particles but also the organic modification of the formed fine particles. The resulting organically modified metal oxide fine particles exhibit excellent properties, characteristics and functions.

A technique for bonding an organic group with the surface of fine particles such as nanoparticles through strong linkage is provided, whereas such fine particles are attracting attention as materials essential for development of high-tech products because of various unique excellent characteristics and functions thereof. Organically modified metal oxide fine particles can be obtained by adapting high-temperature, high-pressure water as a reaction field to bond an organic matter with the surface of metal oxide fine particles through strong linkage. The use of the same condition enables not only the formation of metal oxide fine particles but also the organic modification of the formed fine particles. The resulting organically modified metal oxide fine particles exhibit excellent properties, characteristics and functions.

A silica composite particle includes a silica particle and a compound in which a metal atom selected from the group consisting of Ti, Al, Zr, V, and Mg bonds to an organic group through oxygen, the silica particle being surface-treated with the compound. A coverage of a surface of the silica composite particle with the metal atom is 0.01 at % or more and 30 at % or less. When a binding energy peak of O1s in an oxide of the metal atom is assumed to be MO1s, a binding energy peak of O1s in SiO.sub.2 is assumed to be SO1s, and a binding energy peak of O1s in the silica composite particle is assumed to be MSO1s, the binding energy peaks being detected by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, the formula 0.000452X.sup.20.059117X+SO1s<MSOs(SO1sMO1s)/100X+SO1s is satisfied.

A method of preparing hydrophobic porous silica includes adding an alcohol to a solvent in which a porous silica particle including a hydrophilic group is dispersed and stirring the same to form a mixture, drying the mixture including the porous silica particle in a vacuum, and condensation reacting the hydrophilic group of the porous silica particle with the alcohol on the surface of the porous silica particle to modify the surface of the porous silica particle to be hydrophobic.