A slurry composition comprising: a base oil; a nonionic surfactant; a hydrophilic polymer; and a mixed branched alkyl organoclay composition comprising: a phyllosilicate clay; and a mixture of quaternary ammonium ions, each ion having a formula of [NR.sup.1R.sup.2R.sup.3R.sup.4].sup.+ wherein, within such mixture of quaternary ammonium ions, one or more of R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 is each a mixture of branched alkyl groups, each branched alkyl group having 12 to 22 total carbon atoms, a linear backbone and one or more C.sub.1 to C.sub.3 branching alkyl groups each attached to the linear backbone at a branching carbon position, and within each quaternary ammonium ion and within the mixture of branched alkyl groups, the C.sub.1 to C.sub.3 branching alkyl groups are linked to the linear backbones at different branching carbon positions as a distribution; and wherein when one or more of R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 is not a branched alkyl group, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are a first linear alkyl group having 1 to 22 carbon atoms, wherein R.sup.4 is selected from the group consisting of a second linear alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, an aryl group, and combinations thereof.

A slurry composition comprising: a base oil; a nonionic surfactant; a hydrophilic polymer; and a mixed branched alkyl organoclay composition comprising: a phyllosilicate clay; and a mixture of quaternary ammonium ions, each ion having a formula of [NR.sup.1R.sup.2R.sup.3R.sup.4].sup.+ wherein, within such mixture of quaternary ammonium ions, one or more of R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 is each a mixture of branched alkyl groups, each branched alkyl group having 12 to 22 total carbon atoms, a linear backbone and one or more C.sub.1 to C.sub.3 branching alkyl groups each attached to the linear backbone at a branching carbon position, and within each quaternary ammonium ion and within the mixture of branched alkyl groups, the C.sub.1 to C.sub.3 branching alkyl groups are linked to the linear backbones at different branching carbon positions as a distribution; and wherein when one or more of R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 is not a branched alkyl group, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are a first linear alkyl group having 1 to 22 carbon atoms, wherein R.sup.4 is selected from the group consisting of a second linear alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, an aryl group, and combinations thereof.

A method of producing a complex of a lamellar inorganic compound and an organic compound includes: heat-treating a particular non-swelling lamellar inorganic compound within a pyrolysis temperature range of the non-swelling lamellar inorganic compound; and intercalating an organic compound into the non-swelling lamellar inorganic compound in a dispersion liquid in which the heat-treated non-swelling lamellar inorganic compound is dispersed in a medium, thereby inserting the organic compound into an interlamellar space of the non-swelling lamellar inorganic compound.

A method of producing a complex of a lamellar inorganic compound and an organic compound includes: heat-treating a particular non-swelling lamellar inorganic compound within a pyrolysis temperature range of the non-swelling lamellar inorganic compound; and intercalating an organic compound into the non-swelling lamellar inorganic compound in a dispersion liquid in which the heat-treated non-swelling lamellar inorganic compound is dispersed in a medium, thereby inserting the organic compound into an interlamellar space of the non-swelling lamellar inorganic compound.

An organoclay composition comprising a mineral clay mixture which has been treated with a combination of quaternary ammonium salts, said mixture comprising: mineral clay (a) comprising about 15 to about 60 wt. %, based on the weight of the mineral clay mixture, of sepiolite; mineral clay (b) comprising about 40 to about 85 wt. % based on the weight of the mineral clay mixture, of montmorillonite; an alkyl or alkenyl quaternary ammonium salt and an alkoxylated quaternary ammonium salt.

An organoclay composition comprising a mineral clay mixture which has been treated with a combination of quaternary ammonium salts, said mixture comprising: mineral clay (a) comprising about 15 to about 60 wt. %, based on the weight of the mineral clay mixture, of sepiolite; mineral clay (b) comprising about 40 to about 85 wt. % based on the weight of the mineral clay mixture, of montmorillonite; an alkyl or alkenyl quaternary ammonium salt and an alkoxylated quaternary ammonium salt.

A method of forming a composition having exfoliated nanoplatelets functionalized with covalently bound surface-modifiers, includes exfoliating a layered nanoclay is exfoliated with a surfactant. The method also includes reacting the exfoliated layered nanoclay with a surface modifier comprising one or more of an epoxide, a silane, or an isocyanate.

Method of converting calcium bentonite to sodium bentonite that is suitable for use as drilling mud or a cement additive. The method comprises preparing a suspension comprising sea water and calcium bentonite at a pH in the range of 8-11, and continuously heating and stirring the suspension for a time in the range of 12 hours to 36 hours. Additives such as soda ash and sodium salt of ethylenediamineteraraacetc acid (EDTA) may be added to the suspension to improve the properties of the product sodium bentonite.

Method of converting calcium bentonite to sodium bentonite that is suitable for use as drilling mud or a cement additive. The method comprises preparing a suspension comprising sea water and calcium bentonite at a pH in the range of 8-11, and continuously heating and stirring the suspension for a time in the range of 12 hours to 36 hours. Additives such as soda ash and sodium salt of ethylenediamineteraraacetc acid (EDTA) may be added to the suspension to improve the properties of the product sodium bentonite.

The present invention provides a cell culture substrate including a polymer having a lower critical solution temperature, the substrate including one or more inorganic materials selected from a water-swellable clay mineral and silica and further including an adhesive matrix in the substrate, in which the adhesive matrix is an extracellular matrix and/or an adhesive synthetic matrix. Furthermore, the invention is to provide a cell culture substrate in which the extracellular matrix is at least one selected from laminin, fibronectin, vitronectin, cadherin, and fragments thereof, and/or the adhesive synthetic matrix is poly[2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl dimethyl-(3-sulfopropyl) ammonium hydroxide] or an oligopeptide-supporting polymer.