A mica-made member having a crystal structure exhibiting an intensity peak of KMg.sub.3(Si.sub.3Al)O.sub.10(OH).sub.2 and an intensity peak of Mg.sub.2SiO.sub.4 in X-ray diffractometry (XRD). Also disclosed is an electrochemical reaction unit including a structural member formed of the mica-made member and an electrochemical reaction cell stack.

A mica-made member having a crystal structure exhibiting an intensity peak of KMg.sub.3(Si.sub.3Al)O.sub.10(OH).sub.2 and an intensity peak of Mg.sub.2SiO.sub.4 in X-ray diffractometry (XRD). Also disclosed is an electrochemical reaction unit including a structural member formed of the mica-made member and an electrochemical reaction cell stack.

The invention relates to the use of mica coated with at least one metal oxide as flame retardant, and also thermoplastic molding compositions provided therewith.

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.

A solution containing an ionic liquid, a polymer compound including at least one of a hydrolyzable polymer compound and a thermally-decomposable polymer compound, and a laminate of layered substances is irradiated with at least one of sonic waves and radio waves. Alternatively, a solution containing an ionic liquid, a polymer compound including at least one of a hydrolyzable polymer compound and a thermally-decomposable polymer compound, and a laminate of layered substances is heated.

A solution containing an ionic liquid, a polymer compound including at least one of a hydrolyzable polymer compound and a thermally-decomposable polymer compound, and a laminate of layered substances is irradiated with at least one of sonic waves and radio waves. Alternatively, a solution containing an ionic liquid, a polymer compound including at least one of a hydrolyzable polymer compound and a thermally-decomposable polymer compound, and a laminate of layered substances is heated.

A sealing material including a water-resistant sheet, wherein the water-resistant sheet includes layered clay minerals having a thickness of 0.5 nm to 800 nm. A sealing material including a sheet, wherein the sheet includes modified layered clay minerals in which at least a portion of a first cation between the interlayer of swellable layered clay minerals is ion-exchanged with a second cation, in a first cation being one or more selected from Na.sup.+ and Li.sup.+. A sealing material including a sheet, wherein the sheet includes layered clay minerals having a thickness of 0.5 nm to 800 nm, and having one or more selected from K.sup.+, Ba.sup.2+ and Pb.sup.2+ are contained in at least a portion in an interlayer of the clay minerals.

A method for extracting a mineral contained in biotite. The method includes a step of freezing the biotite, followed by a step of thawing the biotite. A method for characterizing a paleoalteration, in which at least one mineral is studied that is contained in cleavages of biotite extracted from a felsic rock that is at least partially altered.

An antimicrobial exfoliated vermiculite composite material is synthesized by impregnating the interlayers of exfoliated vermiculite through cation exchange and surface absorption with at least one of the following metal species: copper, silver, zinc, and manganese. Alternately, the antimicrobial material is synthesized by impregnating interlayers of unexfoliated vermiculite with said metal species and exfoliating the product thereafter. The metal species can be in ionic state, nanometer particles, and in the form of metal oxides, metal hydroxides, metal nitrides, metal carbides, metal phosphates, metal silicates, metal borides, metal sulfides, metal halides, metal hydrides, metal nitrates, metal carbonates, and metal sulfadiazines. Any mixture of these metal species in the exfoliated vermiculite can provide protection against a broad spectrum of pathogens. This antimicrobial material in any desired form, in whole or as an additive, can effectively self-decontaminate various materials or products as the antimicrobial metal ions slowly diffuse to the surface of the products.