The present invention relates to alumina flakes having a defined thickness and particle size distribution and to their use in varnishes, paints, automotive coatings, printing inks, masterbatches, plastics and cosmetic formulations and as substrate for effect pigments.

The present invention relates to alumina flakes having a defined thickness and particle size distribution and to their use in varnishes, paints, automotive coatings, printing inks, masterbatches, plastics and cosmetic formulations and as substrate for effect pigments.

A method for preparing a composition including mineral particles functionalized by at least one organic group and having a specific surface defined according to the BET method greater than 500 m.sup.2/g, involves: —choosing a phyllosilicate composition, including mineral particles having a thickness of less than 100 nm, a largest dimension of less than 10 μm and belonging to the family of lamellar silicates; —choosing at least one functionalizing agent, from the group formed from the oxysilanes and oxygermanes having at least one organic group, —bringing the phyllosilicate composition into contact with a functionalizing solution including the functionalizing agent, so as to obtain a phyllosilicate composition including mineral particles functionalized by the organic group, while choosing the organic group from the group formed from the cationic heteroaryl groups, the quaternary ammonium groups and the salts of same. The phyllosilicate composition obtained by the method is also described.

Nanostructured carbide chemical compound is used to convert carbide to carbon. A method comprising: providing at least one carbide chemical compound and reducing a metal cation with use of the carbide chemical compound to form elemental carbon, wherein the carbide chemical compound is nanostructured. The nanostructured carbide chemical compound can be in the form of a nanoparticle, a nanowire, a nanotube, a nanofilm, a nanoline. The reactant can be a metal salt. Electrochemical reaction, or reaction in the melt or in solution, can be used to form the carbon. The nanostructured carbide chemical compound can be an electrode.

The invention relates to a surface-modified effect pigment comprising particular additives and to the production thereof. The present invention further provides a nail varnish composition comprising a) at least one effect pigment that has been surface-modified with a starting material (additive), where the effect pigment comprises a substrate in platelet form and optionally at least one coating applied to the substrate, b) at least one hydrocarbon resin as binder, and c) at least one solvent or solvent mixture, where the starting material (additive) for surface modification of the effect pigment is at least one compound taken from the group consisting of phosphoric ester-containing, phosphonic ester-containing, phosphonic acid-containing, fatty acid-containing and/or silane-containing compounds or mixtures thereof.

The presently disclosed subject matter is directed to a positive electrode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery including a lithium transition metal-containing composite oxide, comprising secondary particles formed by aggregates of primary particles. The secondary particles comprise: an outer-shell section formed by an aggregate of the primary particles; at least one aggregate section formed by an aggregate of primary particles and existing on an inside of the outer-shell section, and electrically and structurally connected to the outer-shell section; and at least one space section existing on the inside of the outer-shell section and in which there are no primary particles. The average particle size of the secondary particles being within the range 1 μm to 15 μm, an index [(d90-d10)/average particle size] that indicates a spread of a particle size distribution of the secondary particles being 0.7 or less, and the surface area per unit volume being 1.7 m.sup.2/cm.sup.3 or greater.

Temperature-stable effect pigments based on multicoated flake-form substrates, and the use thereof in paints, coatings, printing inks, plastics and in particular in glazes, enamels, ceramic or glass-like materials.

The present invention provides alumina particles having a fixed card-house structure formed of three or more flat plate-like alumina particles and having an average particle diameter of 3 to 1000 μm. Also, there is provided alumina particles having an average particle diameter of 3 to 1000 μm and having a fixed card-house structure in which the three or more flat plate-like alumina are aggregated to be crossed each other at two or more plurality of positions, and the plane directions of the flat plates crossed each other are in a state of disordered arrangement.

A hybrid functionalized lamellar comprises a layered double hydroxide and [Sn.sub.2S.sub.6].sup.4− anions intercalated with the gallery of the layered double hydroxide to form a [Sn.sub.2S.sub.6].sup.4− intercalated layered double hydroxide.

A hybrid photoactive heterojunction including a copper vanadate, Cu.sub.2V.sub.2O.sub.7 (CVO) and a zinc vanadate, Zn.sub.2V.sub.2O.sub.6 (ZVO). Particles of the ZVO are dispersed in particles of the CVO to form the hybrid photoactive heterojunction. The hybrid photoactive heterojunction in the form of a photoactive film includes a substrate which is at least partially coated with the hybrid photoactive heterojunction. A method of photodegrading a dye includes contacting the photoactive film and the dye in a solution and exposing the solution to light. A method of photoelectrochemically oxidizing water includes contacting the photoactive film with water in a solution and exposing the solution to light.