According to the present disclosure, a method of forming an exfoliated or intercalated filler material is provided, wherein the said method comprises the steps of mixing particles of filler material such as montmorillonite (MMT), mica, layered double hydroxide (LDH), and attapulgite (AT) dispersed in an aqueous medium with cationic acrylate monomers to form modified particles comprising positively charged ions, dispersing the modified particles in organic medium to form a dispersion, contacting said dispersion with an organo-silicate such as tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and a functionalizing agent comprising an organo-silane such as aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTMS), in the presence of a basic catalyst to form a layer of silica on the modified particles. The present disclosure also relates to an exfoliated or intercalated filler material obtained by the said method as well as a method of forming a resin/clay nanocomposite.

The present disclosure includes proppants and methods of making the proppants. The proppants herein may contain titanium dioxide, silicon dioxide, and/or aluminum dioxide. Also included in the present disclosure are methods of using the proppants to treat a reservoir.

The invention relates to a process for delamination of a layered silicate in an aqueous medium, wherein in a first step a layered silicate is treated with a delamination agent, and in a second step the thus treated layered silicate is contacted with an aqueous medium, whereby the delamination agent is a compound having exactly one positively charged atom, the positively charged atom being selected from the group consisting of nitrogen and phosphorous; contains n.sub.f functional groups selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl groups, ether groups, sulfonic acid ester groups and carboxylic acid ester groups, n.sub.f being a number from 3 to 10; comprises a total number of carbon atoms n.sub.c being from 4 to 12; has a ratio n.sub.c/(1+n.sub.f) from 1 to 2, wherein n.sub.c is the total number of carbon atoms of the delamination agent and n.sub.f is the total number of functional groups in the delamination agent as defined under ii.; contains n.sub.t atoms selected from the group consisting of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous, oxygen and sulfur, n.sub.t being 9; and wherein the delamination agent is used to treat the layered silicate in an amount of at least equal to the cation exchange capacity of the layered silicate. The invention further relates to the thus produced delaminated layered silicates, their use in the production of composite and coating material and as a barrier material. Moreover, the invention relates to compositions containing the thus produced delaminated layered silicates.

The invention relates to a process for delamination of a layered silicate in an aqueous medium, wherein in a first step a layered silicate is treated with a delamination agent, and in a second step the thus treated layered silicate is contacted with an aqueous medium, whereby the delamination agent is a compound having exactly one positively charged atom, the positively charged atom being selected from the group consisting of nitrogen and phosphorous; contains n.sub.f functional groups selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl groups, ether groups, sulfonic acid ester groups and carboxylic acid ester groups, n.sub.f being a number from 3 to 10; comprises a total number of carbon atoms n.sub.c being from 4 to 12; has a ratio n.sub.c/(1+n.sub.f) from 1 to 2, wherein n.sub.c is the total number of carbon atoms of the delamination agent and n.sub.f is the total number of functional groups in the delamination agent as defined under ii.; contains n.sub.t atoms selected from the group consisting of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous, oxygen and sulfur, n.sub.t being 9; and wherein the delamination agent is used to treat the layered silicate in an amount of at least equal to the cation exchange capacity of the layered silicate. The invention further relates to the thus produced delaminated layered silicates, their use in the production of composite and coating material and as a barrier material. Moreover, the invention relates to compositions containing the thus produced delaminated layered silicates.

The invention relates to a process for delamination of a layered silicate in an aqueous medium, wherein in a first step a layered silicate having a layer charge L.sub.c from 0.25 to 1.0 and a charge equivalent area A.sub.s=47.6 .sup.2/(2L.sub.c), is treated with a delamination agent, and in a second step the thus treated layered silicate is contacted with an aqueous medium, whereby the delamination agent is a compound having exactly one positively charged atom, the positively charged atom being selected from the group consisting of nitrogen and phosphorous; contains of functional groups selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl groups, ether groups, sulfonic acid ester groups and carboxylic acid ester groups, n.sub.f being a number from 1 to 10; comprises a total number of carbon atoms n.sub.c being from 2 to 20; has a ratio n.sub.c/(1+n.sub.f) from 1 to 5, wherein n.sub.c is the total number of carbon atoms of the delamination agent and n.sub.f is the total number of functional groups in the delamination agent as defined under ii.; and has a charge equivalent area A.sub.d being from at least 0.90-fold to 3-fold of the charge equivalent area of the layered silicate A.sub.s; and wherein the delamination agent is used to treat the layered silicate in an amount of at least equal to the cation exchange capacity of the layered silicate, with the proviso that n.sub.f2, if L.sub.c0.6. The invention further relates to the thus produced delaminated layered silicates, their use in the production of composite and coating material and as a barrier material. Moreover, the invention relates to compositions containing the thus produced delaminated layered silicates.

The invention relates to a process for delamination of a layered silicate in an aqueous medium, wherein in a first step a layered silicate having a layer charge L.sub.c from 0.25 to 1.0 and a charge equivalent area A.sub.s=47.6 .sup.2/(2L.sub.c), is treated with a delamination agent, and in a second step the thus treated layered silicate is contacted with an aqueous medium, whereby the delamination agent is a compound having exactly one positively charged atom, the positively charged atom being selected from the group consisting of nitrogen and phosphorous; contains of functional groups selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl groups, ether groups, sulfonic acid ester groups and carboxylic acid ester groups, n.sub.f being a number from 1 to 10; comprises a total number of carbon atoms n.sub.c being from 2 to 20; has a ratio n.sub.c/(1+n.sub.f) from 1 to 5, wherein n.sub.c is the total number of carbon atoms of the delamination agent and n.sub.f is the total number of functional groups in the delamination agent as defined under ii.; and has a charge equivalent area A.sub.d being from at least 0.90-fold to 3-fold of the charge equivalent area of the layered silicate A.sub.s; and wherein the delamination agent is used to treat the layered silicate in an amount of at least equal to the cation exchange capacity of the layered silicate, with the proviso that n.sub.f2, if L.sub.c0.6. The invention further relates to the thus produced delaminated layered silicates, their use in the production of composite and coating material and as a barrier material. Moreover, the invention relates to compositions containing the thus produced delaminated layered silicates.

Disclosed herein are compositions comprising a super absorbent polymer (SAP) concentrate mixed with a long-term fire-retardant concentrate, prior to dilution with water, to form a mixed concentrate and methods of making such compositions. The mixed concentrate composition can be subsequently mixed with water to produce an aqueous fire-fighting solution.

Disclosed herein are compositions comprising a super absorbent polymer (SAP) concentrate mixed with a long-term fire-retardant concentrate, prior to dilution with water, to form a mixed concentrate and methods of making such compositions. The mixed concentrate composition can be subsequently mixed with water to produce an aqueous fire-fighting solution.

Liquid organic nutrient for agricultural use which comprises calcium carbonate, of which the particles have an average size of less than 1 micron, at least one humic substance to provide nutrients N-P-K (1-0-19), hydroxiphyllosilicate of aluminum and magnesium (HPAM) with a high gelling capacity, and water which is used as a diluent.

Method of producing the liquid organic nutrient for agricultural use, which comprises mixing at least one humic substance with water, adding calcium carbonate, grinding the mixture in a vertical pearl mill using a batch system for a sufficient time for the particles to have an average size of less than 1 micron, adjusting the percentage of solids to the initial value indicated in the nutrient formula, adding a quantity of hydroxiphyllosilicate of aluminum and magnesium, and recovering the particles of less than 1 micron from the product.

Liquid organic nutrient for agricultural use which comprises calcium carbonate, of which the particles have an average size of less than 1 micron, at least one humic substance to provide nutrients N-P-K (1-0-19), hydroxiphyllosilicate of aluminum and magnesium (HPAM) with a high gelling capacity, and water which is used as a diluent.

Method of producing the liquid organic nutrient for agricultural use, which comprises mixing at least one humic substance with water, adding calcium carbonate, grinding the mixture in a vertical pearl mill using a batch system for a sufficient time for the particles to have an average size of less than 1 micron, adjusting the percentage of solids to the initial value indicated in the nutrient formula, adding a quantity of hydroxiphyllosilicate of aluminum and magnesium, and recovering the particles of less than 1 micron from the product.