Mesomorphic ceramic films are fabricated over large areas by blade-coating of nematic lyotropic suspensions, followed by calcination. Lyotropic self-assembly of titania or ZnO nanorods by applying blade-coating shear force to a dispersion of the rods, followed by thermal treatment forms transparent ceramic films for applications such as large aperture inorganic waveplates for modifying the polarization state of incident light that have superior optical and mechanical properties

A method of producing a product inorganic compound including: immersing a raw material inorganic compound having a volume of 10.sup.−13 m.sup.3 or more in an electrolyte aqueous solution or an electrolyte suspension; exchanging anions in the raw material inorganic compound with anions in the electrolyte aqueous solution or the electrolyte suspension; cations in the raw material inorganic compound are exchanged with cations in the electrolyte aqueous solution or the electrolyte suspension; or including a component (that excludes water, hydrogen, and oxygen) in the electrolyte aqueous solution or the electrolyte suspension not included in the raw material inorganic compound in the raw material inorganic compound; and obtaining a product inorganic compound having a volume of 10.sup.−13 m.sup.3 or more from the raw material inorganic compound.

Provided is a calcium carbonate that comprises crystals having a particular shape and structure and has a nano-order average particle size. Provided are a method for producing a calcium carbonate that comprises crystals having a particular shape and structure and has an average particle size in a particular range and a crystal growth method. The calcium carbonate has the calcite structure, has a BET specific surface area of 2 to 50 m.sup.2/g, has a number-based average particle size of 30 nm to 1.0 μm as determined by electron microscopy, and partially comprises substantially ring-like particles.

The present invention concerns a process for the preparation of flocculated filler particles, wherein at least two aqueous suspensions of at least one filler material and at least one flocculating additive are combined.

Provided is a calcium carbonate filler for resins that has uniform particles, high dispersibility and thermal stability, and, in particular, excellent smoothness, peelability, resistance to detachment, and the like and is useful as an antiblocking material. The calcium carbonate filler for resins includes calcium carbonate particles and satisfies formulae (a) to (e) below: (a) 1.0≤Sw≤12.0 (m.sup.2/g); (b) 0.1≤Dx≤5.0 (μm); (c) 0.1≤Dy≤5.0 (μm); (d) 0.8≤Dy/Dx≤3.5; and (e) 0.1≤Tw≤0.8 (% by weight), where Sw is a BET specific surface area (m.sup.2/g); Dx is a primary particle diameter (μm) expressed as a calculation formula: Dx=6/(2.7.Math.Sw); Dy is a 50% diameter (μm); and Tw is a thermal weight loss (% by weight) between 100 and 300° C.

The present invention relates to a composition comprising a first component being an inorganic mineral or mineral-like material having a porous structure, and a second component being a hygroscopic compound; a process for preparing such a composition; a composite material comprising a such a composition; a product comprising such a composition and/or composite material as well as a use of such a composition and/or a composite material as a flame retardant or as a humidity adjusting agent.

Provided are a calcium carbonate having a small particle diameter and easily dispersible in polymers and a production method therefor. A calcium carbonate has a magnesium content of 12000 to 120000 ppm, a BET specific surface area of 60 to 120 m.sup.2/g, and a crystallite size of (104) plane of 20 to 50 nm, and particles of the calcium carbonate are concatenated.

To provide a method for producing a calcium carbonate block for medical use which is useful as a bone substitute or a bone substitute raw material needed in medical care, which is a method for producing a calcium carbonate block that satisfies the following desired properties: 1) the calcium carbonate block has excellent mechanical strength; 2) the calcium carbonate block can be produced by a simplified production method; 3) the calcium carbonate block contains no impurity; and 4) the calcium carbonate block has high reactivity. A method for producing a calcium carbonate block, comprising a step of shaping a water-containing calcium hydroxide block and a carbonation step of immersing the calcium hydroxide block in a carbonate ion-containing aqueous solution.

The present invention relates to a method of dispersing fine particles in an aqueous or polar solvent. The dispersant comprises a compound of general formula (I): In general formula (I), AO is an alkylene oxide group selected from ethylene oxide and propylene oxide, R.sup.1 is selected from a methyl group, an ethyl group, a propyl group, a butyl group, and a pentyl group, R.sup.2 is a carboxylic acid terminated group comprising 1 to 5 carbon atoms between the carboxylic acid and the polyalkylene glycol group (-(AO).sub.n—O—), and n is 2 to 100. A dispersion of nanoparticles comprising the dispersant, use of the dispersant, and a method for dispersing nanoparticles is also disclosed.

The invention discloses an artificial nacre material with layered structure and preparation method thereof. The preparation method includes the following steps: uniformly mixing a carbonated cementitious material and water at a water-solid ratio of 0.3 to 1.2 to obtain a carbonated cementitious material suspension; treating the carbonated cementitious material suspension by a freeze-casting process to obtain a carbonated cementitious material coagulation with layered structure; treating the carbonated cementitious material coagulation with the layered structure by a freeze-drying process to obtain a carbonated cementitious material with layered structure; treating the carbonated cementitious material with layered structure by a carbonization process to obtain an artificial nacre material with layered structure. The obtained artificial nacre material with layered structure has higher fracture toughness and durability, and the preparation method has the advantages of low energy consumption, carbon dioxide fixation and environmental friendliness.