Provided are a nanocomposite body, a method of manufacturing the nanocomposite body, and a nanocomposite film including the nanocomposite body. The nanocomposite body includes: inorganic particles; a polymer matrix; and grafting polymer chains each of which includes a polyol structure, wherein the inorganic particles and the polymer matrix are linked by the grafting polymer chains.

The invention relates to the field of materials technology and provides a modified nano-silica and a method for preparing the same, a pigment dispersion and a photosensitive resin composition, so as to solve the problem that conventional nano-silica cannot crosslink with other polymeric materials, and pigment dispersions are apt to aggregate and have a poor film-forming property. The modified nano-silica according to the invention has unsaturated double bonds on the surface thereof and can crosslink with other polymeric materials, such that the pigment dispersion comprising the modified nano-silica can effectively prevent agglomeration and has a good film-forming property, and the photosensitive resin composition comprising the pigment dispersion can reduce the thermal expansion of a film made thereby, as well as the occurrence of shrinkage and collapse phenomena in the surface of the film, and enhance the heat-resistance, chemical-resistance, mechanical properties and abrasion-resistance of the film.

Disclosed is modified silica tiller material wherein the silica filler material has been surface treated with both an alkyl silane and an alkenyl silane. The modified silica filler material when included in an elastomeric composition, results in lower compression set and improved mechanical properties including viscosity, tensile strength, modulus and elongation. The filler material can be used at high levels in elastomeric compositions and does not raise the viscosity to unusable levels. The elastomeric composition including the modified filler material finds special use in the formation of gaskets for fuel cells.

Particles and manufacturing methods thereof are provided. The manufacturing method of the particle includes providing a precursor solution containing a precursor dissolved in a solution, and irradiating the precursor solution with a high energy and high flux radiation beam to convert the precursor to nano-particles. Particles with desired dispersion, shape, and size are manufactured without adding a stabilizer or surfactant to the precursor solution.

[Problem] To provide a dispersion containing surface-modified silica nanoparticles highly dispersed in an organic dispersion medium and also having high transparency and storage stability. [Solution] Disclosed is a method for producing surface-modified silica nanoparticles comprising: preparing a first silica nanoparticle dispersion containing silica nanoparticles and an aqueous dispersion medium; replacing the aqueous dispersion medium in the first silica nanoparticle dispersion with an organic dispersion medium comprising at least one selected from cyclic esters or cyclic amides, to obtain a second silica nanoparticle dispersion; and mixing the second silica nanoparticle dispersion with a silane coupling agent represented by the formula (1): ##STR00001## (each R.sup.1 is independently a hydrocarbon group of C.sub.1 to C.sub.20 and R.sup.2 is a hydrocarbon group of C.sub.1 to C.sub.3), to modify the surface of the silica nanoparticles.

Methylsilyl derivatized silica particles are disclosed. The methylsilyl derivatized silica particles have a methylsilyl content in a range of between 1-6 mol m.sup.2 on a surface of the silica particles. Colloidal silica comprising the methylsilyl derivatized silica particles is also disclosed. Methods for the manufacture of the methylsilyl derivatized silica particles are disclosed. Kits for coatings comprising the methylsilyl derivatized silica particles are also disclosed.

A silicone oil-treated silica particle according to the present invention includes a silica particle body and silicone oil. The silica particle body has a BET specific surface area of 70 m.sup.2/g to 120 m.sup.2/g. The silica particle body has been surface-treated with the silicone oil. The amount of free silicone oil liberated from the surface of the silica particle body in the silicone oil accounts for 2.0 mass % to 5.0 mass % with respect to the silica particle body. A surface-treated styrene acrylic resin particle, in which 2 parts by mass of the silicone oil-treated silica particle has been added to 100 parts by mass of a styrene acrylic resin particle having a particle size median of 5 m to 8 m, has a degree of agglomeration of 18% or less.

A nanoparticle has at least one dimension less than 500 nm and comprises a silica surface and a plurality of zwitterionic functional groups covalently bound to the silica surface. Such nanoparticles and dispersions contain such nanoparticle are prepared and used for a variety of purposes.

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 for manufacturing a surface-treated sol-gel silica particle that can impart good flowability when added into a toner and has little change in charge during environment change; a manufacturing method therefor; and an external additive for a toner containing the surface-treated sol-gel silica particle. The method includes steps of: (A1) obtaining a hydrophilic sol-gel silica particle having a silanol group on a surface and substantially composed of a SiO.sub.2 unit; (A2) adding a compound having a (C.sub.2H.sub.5).sub.3Si group or a R.sup.1R.sup.2.sub.2Si group, and introducing a (C.sub.2H.sub.5).sub.3SiO.sub.1/2 unit or a R.sup.1R.sup.2.sub.2SiO.sub.1/2 unit on a surface of the hydrophilic sol-gel silica particle to obtain a preliminarily treated silica particle; and (A3) adding a compound having a R.sup.3.sub.3Si group, and further introducing a R.sup.3.sub.3SiO.sub.1/2 unit on a surface of the preliminarily treated silica particle to obtain a surface-treated sol-gel silica particle.