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.

A methodology for producing modified nanoclays which, when added to an elastomer, provide elastomeric nanocomposites with improved ageing, rheological and mechanical properties, and which can be devoid of, or containing low amount of, a filler such as carbon black, is provided. The modified nanoclays are made of a nanoclay, such as an organomodified nanoclay, modified so as to be in association with an amine-containing antioxidant and optionally also with a silyl-containing compound, such as mercaptosiloxane. Also provided are processes of preparing the modified nanoclays, elastomeric composites containing same and articles containing the elastomeric composites.

A methodology for producing modified nanoclays which, when added to an elastomer, provide elastomeric nanocomposites with improved ageing, rheological and mechanical properties, and which can be devoid of, or containing low amount of, a filler such as carbon black, is provided. The modified nanoclays are made of a nanoclay, such as an organomodified nanoclay, modified so as to be in association with an amine-containing antioxidant and optionally also with a silyl-containing compound, such as mercaptosiloxane. Also provided are processes of preparing the modified nanoclays, elastomeric composites containing same and articles containing the elastomeric composites.

Synthetic functionalized additives may comprise a layered magnesium silicate. The layered magnesium silicate may comprise a first functionalized silicate layer comprising a first tetrahedral silicate layer covalently bonded to at least two different functional groups, an octahedral brucite layer, and a second functionalized silicate layer comprising a second tetrahedral silicate layer covalently bonded to at least two different functional groups. A drilling fluid may comprise the synthetic functionalized additive.

Synthetic functionalized additives may comprise a layered magnesium silicate. The layered magnesium silicate may comprise a first functionalized silicate layer comprising a first tetrahedral silicate layer covalently bonded to at least two different functional groups, an octahedral brucite layer, and a second functionalized silicate layer comprising a second tetrahedral silicate layer covalently bonded to at least two different functional groups. A drilling fluid may comprise the synthetic functionalized additive.

Provided is a method capable of easily producing a layered silicate in a short time. The problem may be solved by a method of producing a layered silicate, including the following steps (a) and (b): (a) providing a cage silicate that contains an anion component represented by formula (1) below and a cation component represented by formula (2) below with a ratio of the mole number of water to the mole number of the anion component in terms of SiO.sub.2, (H.sub.2O/SiO.sub.2), of 0.7 to 30;

##STR00001## (in formula (2), R represents an alkyl group having 2 to 9 carbon atoms) and (b) treating the cage silicate obtained in step (a) in an autoclave.

Provided is a method capable of easily producing a layered silicate in a short time. The problem may be solved by a method of producing a layered silicate, including the following steps (a) and (b): (a) providing a cage silicate that contains an anion component represented by formula (1) below and a cation component represented by formula (2) below with a ratio of the mole number of water to the mole number of the anion component in terms of SiO.sub.2, (H.sub.2O/SiO.sub.2), of 0.7 to 30;

##STR00001## (in formula (2), R represents an alkyl group having 2 to 9 carbon atoms) and (b) treating the cage silicate obtained in step (a) in an autoclave.

The present invention relates to sheet silicate lamellae of a 2:1 sheet silicate with a high aspect ratio, to a method for producing these sheet silicate lamellae and to an aqueous dispersion which comprises the sheet silicate lamellae. The present invention further relates to the use of the sheet silicate lamellae of the invention for producing a composite material, and also to a corresponding composite material comprising or obtainable using the sheet silicate lamellae, more particularly for use as a diffusion barrier or as a flame retardant.

The present invention relates to sheet silicate lamellae of a 2:1 sheet silicate with a high aspect ratio, to a method for producing these sheet silicate lamellae and to an aqueous dispersion which comprises the sheet silicate lamellae. The present invention further relates to the use of the sheet silicate lamellae of the invention for producing a composite material, and also to a corresponding composite material comprising or obtainable using the sheet silicate lamellae, more particularly for use as a diffusion barrier or as a flame retardant.

The present invention is directed to processes for preparing a silicone surfactant intercalated clay and a polymer-clay nanocomposite. The processes use silicone surfactants having a molecular weight in the range of 10,000 to 100,000 Dalton to achieve fully exfoliating clay structures. Using these macromolecular silicone surfactants, along with the engineered control of the processing pH and drying stress conditions, this invention provides simple and low-cost methods of making a fully-exfoliated polymer-clay nanocomposite.