A composition comprising modified multifunctional inorganic particles is provided. An article or composite comprising a thermoplastic polymer or a plurality of immiscible polymers and the modified particles homogenously distributed therewithin is provided. Further, a method for preparing the composites is provided.

Disclosed herein are surface-modified membranes and other surface-modified substrates exhibiting switchable oleophobicity and oleophilicity in aqueous media. These membranes and substrates may be used for variety of applications, including controllable oil/water separation processes, oil spill cleanup, and oil/water purification. Also provided are the making and processing of such surface-modified membranes and other surface-modified substrates.

The present invention is a multilayered composite comprising porous metal oxide particles that are covalently bonded by way of inorganic ether groups to one or more sites of a first polyhydroxyl-functionalized polymer. This first polymer is in turn covalently bonded by way of inorganic ether groups to one or more sites of a second polyhydroxyl-functionalized polymer. The multilayered composites can be prepared by contacting porous inorganic-oxide particles with a sufficient amount of OH-reactive crosslinking agent to form metal oxide particles imbibed with the crosslinking agent, and then contacting the inorganic-oxide particles with a solution of polyhydroxyl-functionalized polymer under reactive conditions.

The present invention includes a process for producing treated filler that includes (a) treating a slurry that includes untreated filler, where the untreated filler has not been previously dried, with a treating composition that includes a treating agent, thereby forming a treated filler slurry, and (b) drying the treated filler slurry to produce treated filler. The treating agent can include a polymer having (i) at least one first group that interacts with the untreated filler and (ii) at least one second group that interacts with a rubber matrix into which the treated filler is incorporated. The present invention also is directed to treated filler prepared by the process, as well as rubber compounding compositions and tires including the treated filler.

The present invention includes a process for producing treated filler that includes (a) treating a slurry that includes untreated filler, where the untreated filler has not been previously dried, with a treating composition that includes a treating agent, thereby forming a treated filler slurry, and (b) drying the treated filler slurry to produce treated filler. The treating agent can include a polymer having (i) at least one first group that interacts with the untreated filler and (ii) at least one second group that interacts with a rubber matrix into which the treated filler is incorporated. The present invention also is directed to treated filler prepared by the process, as well as rubber compounding compositions and tires including the treated filler.

A surface-treated inorganic filling material obtained by treating an inorganic filling material (A) with at least a polyrotaxane (B) whose cyclic molecule is modified with a graft chain having a reactive functional group, and a silane coupling agent (C). Provided is an inorganic filling material that constitutes an inorganic filling material-reinforced thermoplastic resin excellent in balance among rigidity, strength, and toughness.

Disclosed herein are surface-modified membranes and other surface-modified substrates exhibiting switchable oleophobicity and oleophilicity in aqueous media. These membranes and substrates may be used for variety of applications, including controllable oil/water separation processes, oil spill cleanup, and oil/water purification. Also provided are the making and processing of such surface-modified membranes and other surface-modified substrates.

A method of preparing silica composite particles includes preparing an alkali catalyst solution containing an alkali catalyst at a concentration of from 0.6 mol/L to 0.85 mol/L, in a solvent containing alcohol; and supplying, into the alkali catalyst solution, (i) a mixed solution of tetraalkoxysilane and an organic titanium compound in which an organic group is coupled to a titanium atom through oxygen, and (ii) an alkali catalyst. The mixed solution is supplied at a supply amount of from 0.001 mol/(mol.Math.min) to 0.01 mol/(mol.Math.min) relative to the alcohol, and the alkali catalyst is supplied at a supply amount of from 0.1 mol to 0.4 mol, relative to 1 mol of a total supply amount of the tetraalkoxysilane and the organic titanium compound supplied per one minute.

Provided is an external additive for toner, which is suitable for producing a toner having excellent storage stability and chargeability. A silica fine powder suitable for being added to the external additive for toner is also provided. The silica fine powder has a specific surface area of 15 m.sup.2/g or more and 90 m.sup.2/g or less, a loose bulk density of 0.09 g/cm.sup.3 or more and 0.18 g/cm.sup.3 or less, a carbon content of 0.25 wt % or more and 0.90 wt % or less, and a hydrophobicity of 60% or more and 75% or less. It is preferable that a ratio (A)/(B) of the loose bulk density of the silica fine powder after surface treatment (A) to a loose bulk density of the silica fine powder before the surface treatment (B) be 1.05 or more and 1.60 or less.

[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.