Disclosed in certain embodiments is a composition comprising a structural colorant comprising photonic particles comprising a metal oxide and from about 0.1% to about 50% w/w of an organic material.

Disclosed in certain embodiments is a composition comprising a structural colorant comprising photonic particles comprising a metal oxide and from about 0.1% to about 50% w/w of an organic material.

An inorganic porous carrier that can be used to increase the purity of nucleic acid in a production thereof, and that comprises a linker of formula (1), wherein a Survival Bone Rate (SBR) value is 5.0% or more. In the formula (1), a bond * represents a linkage of an inorganic porous substance to the oxygen atom of a silanol group; n is an integer of 1 etc.; R represents independently of each other an alkyl group containing 3 to 10 carbon atoms which may have a substituent such as an alkoxy group etc.; and L represents a single bond; an alkylene group of 1 to 20 carbon atoms; or an alkylene group containing 2 to 20 carbon atoms which contains —CH.sub.2-Q-CH.sub.2— group wherein any group Q selected from a group consisting of —O— etc. is inserted into at least one of —CH.sub.2—CH.sub.2— group constituting the alkylene group.

##STR00001##

An inorganic porous carrier that can be used to increase the purity of nucleic acid in a production thereof, and that comprises a linker of formula (1), wherein a Survival Bone Rate (SBR) value is 5.0% or more. In the formula (1), a bond * represents a linkage of an inorganic porous substance to the oxygen atom of a silanol group; n is an integer of 1 etc.; R represents independently of each other an alkyl group containing 3 to 10 carbon atoms which may have a substituent such as an alkoxy group etc.; and L represents a single bond; an alkylene group of 1 to 20 carbon atoms; or an alkylene group containing 2 to 20 carbon atoms which contains —CH.sub.2-Q-CH.sub.2— group wherein any group Q selected from a group consisting of —O— etc. is inserted into at least one of —CH.sub.2—CH.sub.2— group constituting the alkylene group.

##STR00001##

Provided are porous spherical silica particles whose oil absorption is suppressed while the porous spherical silica particles have a large specific surface area; and a method for manufacturing such spherical silica particles.

According to the present invention, provided are spherical silica particles whose specific surface area obtained by employing a BET method is 300 m.sup.2/g or more, total pore volume is 0.3 ml/g or less, and oil absorption is 50 ml/100 g or less, the spherical silica particles obtained by subjecting silica gel particles obtained by employing a sol-gel method, for example, in which an alkali silicate is emulsified and coagulated, to only drying at a low temperature without subjecting the silica gel particles to calcination at a high temperature; and a method for manufacturing such spherical silica particles.

Provided are porous spherical silica particles whose oil absorption is suppressed while the porous spherical silica particles have a large specific surface area; and a method for manufacturing such spherical silica particles.

According to the present invention, provided are spherical silica particles whose specific surface area obtained by employing a BET method is 300 m.sup.2/g or more, total pore volume is 0.3 ml/g or less, and oil absorption is 50 ml/100 g or less, the spherical silica particles obtained by subjecting silica gel particles obtained by employing a sol-gel method, for example, in which an alkali silicate is emulsified and coagulated, to only drying at a low temperature without subjecting the silica gel particles to calcination at a high temperature; and a method for manufacturing such spherical silica particles.

A precipitated silica suitable for use in lead-acid battery separators having a good balance between mechanical properties and electrical resistivity. In particular, a precipitated silica characterised by a DOA oil absorption equal to or greater than 200 mL/100 g; a median aggregate size D50.sub.M equal to or lower than 8.7 μm and equal to or greater than a parameter A whose value, expressed in microns, is calculated from equation (I): A=23.3−0.076×|DOA|, wherein |DOA| represents the numerical value of the DOA oil absorption expressed in mL/100 g.

A precipitated silica suitable for use in lead-acid battery separators having a good balance between mechanical properties and electrical resistivity. In particular, a precipitated silica characterised by a DOA oil absorption equal to or greater than 200 mL/100 g; a median aggregate size D50.sub.M equal to or lower than 8.7 μm and equal to or greater than a parameter A whose value, expressed in microns, is calculated from equation (I): A=23.3−0.076×|DOA|, wherein |DOA| represents the numerical value of the DOA oil absorption expressed in mL/100 g.

The invention relates to a novel process for preparing a precipitated silica, in which: a silicate is reacted with an acidifying agent, so as to obtain a suspension of precipitated silica, said suspension of precipitated silica is filtered, so as to obtain a filter cake, said filter cake is subjected to a liquefaction operation comprising the addition of an aluminum compound, after the liquefaction operation, a drying step is performed, characterized in that at least one polycarboxylic acid is added to the filter cake, during or after the liquefaction operation. The invention also relates to novel precipitated silicas and to uses thereof.

The invention relates to a novel process for preparing a precipitated silica, in which: a silicate is reacted with an acidifying agent, so as to obtain a suspension of precipitated silica, said suspension of precipitated silica is filtered, so as to obtain a filter cake, said filter cake is subjected to a liquefaction operation comprising the addition of an aluminum compound, after the liquefaction operation, a drying step is performed, characterized in that at least one polycarboxylic acid is added to the filter cake, during or after the liquefaction operation. The invention also relates to novel precipitated silicas and to uses thereof.